Alrighty folks, have a front-row seat because we’re flipping the channels – from cooking shows to courtroom dramas. Our host, James, seems to be a fan of something like “Law & Order: First Century Edition”, right? Humor aside, today we’re unpacking that messy little habit of judging others.
So, you’ve been choosing God’s over the world (kudos!), soaking up His grace (high five!), and chomping down on that humble pie of repentance (delicious, ain’t it?). And just when you thought you had the conflict thing nailed, James pointed to the smoking gun – judging others. And trust me, this gun wounds the victim as well as its owner!
11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
James 4:11–12 (NLT)
Remember those community disputes from verses 1-2? Well, here’s a bitter pill to swallow – our judgment of others can fuel these disagreements. Don’t think so? Reflect on the last time you had a disagreement. Odds are, judgment snuck in there, ready to cause trouble.
Now, I hear you saying: “But I make good judgments!” And I’m sure you do. But here’s the deal: “The Gavel Isn’t Ours to Swing”. We’re not meant to play judge and jury. In fact, when we judge others, we’re trying to do God’s job. Major case of job creep, right?
James lays it out plainly: “His Court, His Rules”. There’s only one Lawgiver and Judge (spoiler alert: it’s not us!). This role belongs to the Big Boss, the only one capable of both saving and destroying. Take over your boss’ job at work and he’ll promote you to Unemploymentville!
So do this: “Trading Gavels for Grace”. When we put down our gavels and quit the judging, we create space for healthier relationships and less conflict. And guess what? We’re back in line with God’s law, where we’re not overstepping His role but submitting to it with humility.
So, as you mosey on through this weekend, ponder this: “How can you resist the urge to judge others to foster healthier relationships?”
Remember, there’s no courtroom drama that can match the divine drama of grace, forgiveness, and peace that God invites us into. So, let’s drop the gavel and pick up the mantle of love. Court adjourned!
Happy Friday everyone! The truth is we are sinners and fall short. At times I do catch myself judging others. But today and into the weekend to remind myself, I will start off my day with a humble heart and pray that God guides my day with a heart full of divine drama of grace, forgiveness, peace, and love. Have a weekend y’all 🙏🏻💕
I recently had a disagreement with my younger brother (who’s not a Christian) on the issue of gender roles. He doesn’t agree with what he called “traditional, out-dated gender roles”. My argument is that husbands and wives are co-equal in value/worth but that God assigned men as the head or leader. That means that in a disagreement, although he takes his wife’s opinion/needs into consideration, that he must break the tie and he’s responsible for that decision.
I told my brother that he’s also to be the provider (not just materially, but also provide love, order, leadership) and the protector.
“What if the wife makes more money? What if she’s better equipped to lead?”
I asked him: “If you’re both woken up in the middle of the night, would you go investigate or would you send your wife?”
His reply:”what if she has law enforcement training?”
Anyways, we went back and forth for an hour.
In the end, I was tempted to write him off in my head as hopelessly worldly/liberal (passing judgement on him) but the Holy Spirit reminded me that the priority is my relationship and witness to him..not winning an argument.
I asked his forgiveness for allowing us to get so embroiled in such a fruitless argument, and he quickly softened and said that I didn’t need to apologize.
Amazing how quickly an injection of humility can de-escalate an argument.
I can resist the urge to judge others by understanding that all have fallen short in obeying God’s law except for Jesus. When we see that we are all in the same situation as others, it humbles us and allows empathy to pervade our lives. Instead of rushing to judgment, we can extend grace and try to support one another. Lastly, like the text was saying, it is God’s job to judge, my job is to do God’s will.
Something I can do to resist the urge to not judge others is to tell myself that I’m no better than that person. In fact, I’m probably worse, so really, who am I to judge them. I think reminding myself that along with recognizing God’s grace for me despite how many times I’ve wronged him will help me to foster a more open and healthier relationship.
I can resist the urge to judge others by reminding myself that it is only God who has the authority to judge and establish rules. Instead of judging, I can focus on sharing compassion and empathy, fostering a positive and harmonious life with others. By embracing understanding and kindness, we can create a supportive environment where acceptance and growth flourish, rather than criticizing others.