Here Comes the Judge

"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye. (Matthew 7:1-5 NLT also see Luke 6:37-42)

How easy it is to judge others—their dress, there lifestyle, their words, and their actions. We are so fortunate to have what we have. We have been blessed. But for the grace of God we could be just like that person we might be judging.

How often do we see someone else and think they could be different if only they would make better choices? We may even want to tell them how to clean up their lives and what their choices should be. We may even tell them!

We often forget where we came from and how it was other’s non-judgment of us coupled with their God given love that showed us about choices and change by the way they lived and not by what they said. They did not beat us over the head by judging who we were.

We did not stop doing those ungodly things of our past because of someone else’s judgmental ramblings. No, we chose to follow Jesus and He changed us from the inside out.

Some of our changes were unintentional. We just stopped doing some things right away without even thinking about it. No work on our part at all. Jesus just changed us. Some changes took more time. Self control helped us stop some bad habits until God changed us so we did not even consider them. Other changes are still in the works. After all, we are a work in progress.

2009 is all about change. No matter what candidate you voted for, “We the People” spoke and chose a new leader for this country. As we are a work in progress, so are the leaders in Washington, DC. Let us all pray daily for our new President and his team as they step into a new period of change, a period of new beginnings. May they hear God’s voice above all the others and receive his wisdom and guidance as they make decisions to propel this great nation into the future.

Remember. We will be treated as we treat others and we will be judged as we judge them.

May God be with us all.