Romans 14:12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.
So, I went to a gambling party last night, something I've never done. I had a blast. As usual, though, I found myself in a position of judging people for judging people.
See, I have this personal weakness. (No, it's not gambling!) I am an extremely tolerant person. When someone approaches me and she or he has a personal struggle, there is very little that will shock or disgust me. Sure, I may hear something that surprises me or challenges my paradigms, but I have a very large capacity for absorbing what might on a visceral level disgust me and turning it into just another learning experience.
I like people. I also recognize that the human heart is depraved, even mine, and we have a vast ability to create or incorporate novel methods of experiencing evil. I also recognize that most people either don't recognize their actions as evil and therefore need my love and compassion or wish to escape an evil that has enslaved them and therefore need my love and compassion.
I get it. People struggle, and we all need a lot of grace.
Being human and sinful, however, I have an end to my compassion, unlike God.
It ends when other people are judgmental. So, does it make me the biggest hypocrite in the world that I feel an intense vitriol toward judgmentalism as a philosophy? And that I feel a sort of disgust toward those who are judgmental?
If I were to explain my reasonings for this prejudice, they might make sense. I, as a Christian, see regularly a world that flees from judgmental Christians. When Christians look down their noses at people who sin, Christians give Christ a bad name. Especially because Christians are sinners, too, and as my husband so aptly put it to me, everyone is a hypocrite. So, when someone stands in judgment, that person is the ultimate hypocrite.
Case in point, when I judge other's judgmentalism, I'm being a hypocrite! I think my head is spinning.
So my advice for both you and me is: lay off of other people. We have plenty of sin in ourselves to focus on without wasting time feeling superior to others. In fact, according to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4, we're not even supposed to waste too much time judging ourselves.
1 Corinthians 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
If we have the gall to judge someone else, then chances are, we've forgotten how incredibly grateful we should be to the God who has forgiven us so many sins that their number and type would shock the world if posted on the net for all to see.
So, remember gratitude to God. And please don't judge me for judging you. I'm working on it; I promise.
So, I went to a gambling party last night, something I've never done. I had a blast. As usual, though, I found myself in a position of judging people for judging people.
See, I have this personal weakness. (No, it's not gambling!) I am an extremely tolerant person. When someone approaches me and she or he has a personal struggle, there is very little that will shock or disgust me. Sure, I may hear something that surprises me or challenges my paradigms, but I have a very large capacity for absorbing what might on a visceral level disgust me and turning it into just another learning experience.
I like people. I also recognize that the human heart is depraved, even mine, and we have a vast ability to create or incorporate novel methods of experiencing evil. I also recognize that most people either don't recognize their actions as evil and therefore need my love and compassion or wish to escape an evil that has enslaved them and therefore need my love and compassion.
I get it. People struggle, and we all need a lot of grace.
Being human and sinful, however, I have an end to my compassion, unlike God.
It ends when other people are judgmental. So, does it make me the biggest hypocrite in the world that I feel an intense vitriol toward judgmentalism as a philosophy? And that I feel a sort of disgust toward those who are judgmental?
If I were to explain my reasonings for this prejudice, they might make sense. I, as a Christian, see regularly a world that flees from judgmental Christians. When Christians look down their noses at people who sin, Christians give Christ a bad name. Especially because Christians are sinners, too, and as my husband so aptly put it to me, everyone is a hypocrite. So, when someone stands in judgment, that person is the ultimate hypocrite.
Case in point, when I judge other's judgmentalism, I'm being a hypocrite! I think my head is spinning.
So my advice for both you and me is: lay off of other people. We have plenty of sin in ourselves to focus on without wasting time feeling superior to others. In fact, according to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4, we're not even supposed to waste too much time judging ourselves.
1 Corinthians 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
If we have the gall to judge someone else, then chances are, we've forgotten how incredibly grateful we should be to the God who has forgiven us so many sins that their number and type would shock the world if posted on the net for all to see.
So, remember gratitude to God. And please don't judge me for judging you. I'm working on it; I promise.
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