What is God’s stand on judging others? There have been times when you have been so quick to judge someone without thinking before you do so. Within seconds you form an opinion of them. But Jesus warns against the dangers of doing so.
“Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. Don’t accuse others of being guilty, and you will not be accused of being guilty. Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:37 ICB.
You see one of your classmates with a dirty uniform and quickly you call him or her “dirty”. Well, you might not say it to their face, but in your heart you say it and it shows on your face too. You look disgusted and act snobbishly towards the person. You don’t know what happened to the person. He could have slipped and fallen down hence the dirty uniform. Or he could have been attacked by a group of bullies who roughened him up.
Or you have a classmate who fails terribly at school in exams and tests. Calling her dumb and “empty head” is judging her based on her academic prowess. You don’t know what’s happening at home with her parents. Probably she doesn’t have time to study at home because she helps her mother at their little shop. Unlike you whose parents are not selling anything!
The bottom line is this – don’t jump to conclusions about people because you don’t know what happened to them. That’s why Jesus warns that you shouldn’t judge people.
May the Holy Spirit give you a heart that loves instead of judging. Amen
PRAYER: Lord, help me not to judge others in Jesus’ name, amen.
ACTION PLAN: Watch your words and thoughts the next time you are quick to judge others.
Who is your neighbor? Is it the familynext to your family? The families on your street? Your friend? Your classmate? Your church friend? Who exactly is your neighbor? Why should you love your neighbor?
Let’s see what Jesus did about neighbours in the bible.
And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ Matthew 22:39 ICB
Jesus was talking about what loving someone else like you love yourself. Now ask yourself this question – “how much do I love myself?”
Thinking like this will help you take notice of how good or bad you have been treating yourself. If you are good to yourself, you will most likely treat others well and if you’re not, well, you will treat them badly.
Look at the way you think of yourself. Do you have healthy self-esteem and not self-pride. If your esteem is high, you will likely esteem others well too.
What words do you use on yourself? Are they negative words that you use to keep telling you how bad you are?
The verse above talks about how you are supposed to love someone – as yourself. And your neighbor is the nearest person to you. Not people who live beside you in the same compound or on the street. Your neighbor is whoever is close to you at any place you are.
On the bus, on the road, in class – anywhere you find yourself together with someone.
Yes, your neighbour lives beside you in the same compound or on the same street, but Jesus’ teaching wants you to see your neighbour beyond that. He wants you to see anybody you meet anywhere as your neighbour and treat them kindly just like He treats you kindly.
For instance, if you are sitting beside a young person like yourself on a bus and the person’s item falls down unnoticed by them, you should help to pick and give it to them. That’s the kind of love Jesus was talking about. Not that you ignore and look the other way.
For this series we will be looking at ways you can love your neighbour as yourself. May Jesus hi you a heart of love. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, teach me how to show much love to my neighbor In Jesus’name, amen.
Action plan: Buckle up as we learn more on this topic.
