I'm Not the Judge

By Andrea Merrell

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you.

Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37 NLT

Sometimes I can be my own worst enemy.

I know what God’s Word says about the importance of loving others, looking for the best in them, and not being critical or judgmental.

But what about me? Do the same rules apply?

I never gave it much thought until reading these words in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young:

Stop judging and evaluating yourself; for this is not your role. Above all, stop comparing yourself with other people.

The words hit home. The Bible says judge not, condemn not, and above all, forgive. It’s much easier to apply these instructions to our interactions with others, but in God’s eyes, we do just as much harm when we fail to apply them to ourselves.

When I dwell on my faults and failures, I become critical, mentally beating myself up for missing the mark and not living up to the standards I’ve set for my life. Walking in forgiveness includes extending the same mercy and grace to myself as I would to others, even when I don’t think I deserve it.

There is only One who judges righteously, and that is our Father in heaven Who loves unconditionally and looks past all our faults.

If you have a tendency to be too hard on yourself, remember … you are not the judge.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Sira Anamwong.)

TWEETABLE

When you mess up, extend the same mercy and grace to yourself as you would to others. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

To read in browser or leave a comment, click here.

Are You a Grace-Giver?

By Andrea Merrell

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. 

Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37 NIV

The first thought that shot through my mind when I saw the girl was, do you even own a mirror?

The next was maybe that’s the best she has. Then, maybe no one ever taught her how to dress properly and modestly. And finally, maybe she’s starved for attention and this is all she knows to do. Pray for her.

Ouch! I quickly repented of my critical attitude.

My grandparents always told me not to judge, make fun of, or look down on anyone. “Except for the grace of God, that could be you,” they said.

The Bible says “judge not.” Why? In order that we won’t be judged in return. So, how do we overcome a judgmental attitude and a critical spirit? By extending grace.

The truth is everyone messes up. But when we set high, unrealistic standards for others to live up to, we set them up for failure—at least in our own eyes. It’s that whole idea of removing a tiny splinter from another person’s eye when we have a stack of firewood in ours.

The Lord told Paul, “my grace is sufficient.” And it’s sufficient for us as well, both as the giver and the receiver. Pastor and author Bob Gass says, “When you take it upon yourself to condemn others, you are denying them the same grace you may need before the day is over.”

God gave freely so we might do the same. I need His grace, so I must extend it to others.

How about you? Are you a grace-giver?

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

TWEETABLE

When you take it upon yourself to condemn others,you are denying them the same grace you may need before the day is over. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

To read in browser, click here.