DO NOT JUDGE!  WHY?
Matthew 7:1-6

A proper definition of the word “judge” used here in Matthew 7:1 would include the following descriptive phrases:  “to be judgmental”; “to adopt a critical spirit”; “to adopt a condemning attitude.”  In this passage, Jesus is talking about attitude, about motivation.  Do we have an attitude of condemnation or one of restoration?  Do we seek to tear down or to build up?

We must ask ourselves the question:  Why should we not judge others?  First, we can never know the full facts about the situation.  Rabbi Hillel, a contemporary teacher during the days of Jesus, stated:  Do not judge a man until you yourself have come into his circumstances or situation.    An unknown author penned the following words:  Judge not the workings of his brain And of his heart thou cannot see.  What looks to thy dim eyes a stain, In God’s pure light may only be A scar brought from some well-worn field Where thou wouldst only faint and yield.  The following is a rather humorous story, but I think you will soon get the point.

A lady invited friends to a mushroom and steak dinner.  When the mushrooms were opened, a slight scum was on top.  Since the guests were expected shortly, the lady suggested to the maid, “Give the dog a little and if he eats it, it is probably alright.”  The dog liked it and begged for more, so the dinner was completed and then served to the guests.  After the main course, the maid hurriedly whispered to the mistress, “Ma’am, the dog is dead.”  There was no time to lose.  There was only one thing to do.  Some time later the guests were reclining after the use of the stomach pump.  The lady asked the maid, “Where is the dog now?”  “Out on the front steps, ma’am, where he fell when the car hit him.”  Moral:  Do you not think it would be a good idea to investigate rumors and statements before jumping to conclusions that may be false?

Secondly, we should not judge because it is almost impossible for any man to be strictly impartial in his judgment.  Our judgments often come from illogical reactions to situations. 

Finally, no man is so good so as to judge another man.  Arm-chair quarterbacks never throw interceptions.  Arm-chair basketball players never miss a shot.  Arm-chair coaches never make a wrong decision.  But arm-chair people are just that…arm-chair people.  And God has called us not to the arm-chair, but to the real world. 

So, what principles should we learn from this great text of the Sermon on the Mount?  That will be our focus in the next study together.

Father, I would pray that You would cause us to be slow in making judgments upon others until we have all the facts.  We confess that so many times we have reacted with haste and later found to have been wrong in our conclusions.  Help us to be quick to listen, not just with our ears but also with our hearts.  Then help us to respond fairly.  We pray this in Christ’s name.  Amen.

 

Return to Sermon on the Mount Overview