judge not

This is Jesus talking here, in the 3^rd chapter of what we have come to call The Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 7

1 "Do not judge others,

and you will not be judged.

2 For you will be treated as you treat others.

The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.*

  3 "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?

4 How can you think of saying to your friend,

'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,'

when you can't see past the log in your own eye?

5 Hypocrite!

First get rid of the log in your own eye;

then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

One of the criticisms I hear about Christians these days is that they are judgmental.

I think there's a lot of truth to that criticism, from what I've seen amongst white middle class evangelicals.

I've seen something on Facebook a few times that puts this judging thing into perspective...

It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict.

It is the job of Jesus to redeem.

It is the job of God the Father to judge.

And it is our job to love.

Whenever we begin to think that part of our responsibility includes any of the first 3, then we get into trouble.

We should try to operate above our pay grade.

Our job is to love.