The easiest way to lose my respect is to hear someone judging someone else. I will often become super defensive of the person being judged when this occurs. I’d like to pretend it’s because I’m a really good person but I know the truth. It’s because I fear judgment from God. Matthew 7:1-5 has always resonated with me.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
When I think of Judges many images come to mind. There is Judge Judy with her no-nonsense approach. I’m not sure I would sign up for her to be my Judge unless I was 100% innocent of any wrongdoing…and even then, if you got on her wrong side you could be in big trouble.
There is a judge that I watch on Youtube a lot. His name is Judge Caprio and he serves in Rhode Island. He seems like such a compassionate man. He listens to people’s stories and makes a ruling that is almost always compassionate.
The next time someone starts judging someone else, or if you start judging someone else remember that that very same measure will be used on you someday.
If I had to pick someone to Judge me I would want someone with compassion and mercy. I know that I serve a Just and Powerful God. And it sounds like I get to choose how harshly I will be judged on judgment day. I am praying that my measuring stick is one that shows compassion to others. Because I know that I would want the maximum amount of mercy shown to me.