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.
Learning to treat people well is very important. Do you like to be shoved away, kicked, punched, pinched, teased, mocked, bullied, and lied at? These are just some terrible things that can happen to you.
Other children or even adults can do these wicked things to you just because they can or they think you deserve it. How would you feel? Really ask yourself this question.
On the other hand, you could be the one doing these same unfair acts to other children. Maybe in collaboration with other children, you could be bullying a classmate who has bushy eyebrows. You could mock them with a name like “the bush”, “bushbrows”, “bushy” or any other name you think is cool. Do you think they would like that? Really ask yourself this.
You definitely won’t like to be on the receiving part and shouldn’t do that to another person. They also won’t like it. If you won’t like it, they most likely won’t like it too.
Jesus condemned treating people wrongly and told those around him to not do so. He was teaching them to value others with respect, love, and care.
“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”
Luke 6:31
He was saying that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want to be treated well, treat people well. That’s the right thing to do.
May you receive the strength to treat people well. Amen
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I obey your command and will treat everyone well. Strengthen me for this task. Amen.
Action point: You can start by apologizing to the people you have treated badly in the past. Then begin to treat other people well.
The phrase ‘pray for your husband’ is not a cliché. It is something you should do as a matter of responsibility. This is because the man, who is the head of the home, is saddled with the responsibility of taking certain decisions from time to time. A wrong decision can put the family ten years behind. Conversely, the right decision can propel the family.
One major area you should focus your prayer on is those surrounding your husband. You see, a man doesn’t just cheat on his wife. Someone close to him must have suggested it to him. A man doesn’t wake up from sleep one morning and begins to beat up his wife. Somebody somewhere around him must have suggested it to him.
It’s good to pray for the business of your husband. How about his friends, business partners? How about those with which he sits on a daily basis to make decisions?
Let’s see a story from the bible.
The king threw a party, and being in high spirits, wanted to show forth his wife’s beauty to all and sundry.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven unsexed servants who were waiting before Ahasuerus the king, That Vashti the queen was to come before him, crowned with her crown, and let the people and the captains see her: for she was very beautiful. But when the servants gave her the king’s order, Vashti the queen said she would not come: then the king was very angry, and his heart was burning with wrath.
Est 1:10-12 [BBE]
The king was very angry, and the next thing he did was consult those who were closest to him.
And the king said to the wise men, who had knowledge of the times,… What is to be done by law to Vashti the queen, because she has not done what King Ahasuerus, by his servants, gave her orders to do?
Est 1:13a,15 [BBE]
Are you trying to tell me the king did not know what was to be done by law? No, he knew exactly what to do. He only needed the input of the wise men who were probably his cabinet members.
If they had advised the king otherwise, he would have done their bidding.
It’s beautiful when you pray for your husband, but don’t stop there. Pray for those surrounding him, so that one day, they won’t advise him to make a decision that will affect you negatively.
“So if it pleases the king, here is a suggestion: Let the king give a royal command and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media. The laws of Persia and Media cannot be changed. The royal command should be that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Let the king also give her royal position to someone else who is better than she is.
Est 1:19 [ERV]
May your royal position not be given to someone else!
Shalom!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will go the extra mile in praying for my husband.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask God to surround your husband with the right people.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Est 1:19 [CEV]Your Majesty, if you agree, you should write for the Medes and Persians a law that can never be changed. This law would keep Queen Vashti from ever seeing you again. Then you could let someone who respects you be queen in her place.
Dear young lad, you must learn to be a good friend. Lee noticed that Ben always stayed back in class during lunch break for some days now. Ben was his classmate and friend. Lee decided to speak to Ben today immediately after the lunch bell rang.
“Ben, where is your lunch pack?” Asked Lee.
Ben looked away and tried to smile but Lee saw that the smile was a fake one.
“I noticed you haven’t been coming to school with your lunch pack.” Said Lee. “Is there something wrong?”
Ben shook his head refusing to meet Lee’s probing eyes. “Nothing.”
“Will you share my lunch with me?” Offered Lee.
Lee remembered what the bible says about helping others in Galatians chapter six and verse two.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Carrying each other’s burdens is a sign of true friendship because a friend should offer to help his friends when they have a need. Even if they don’t ask for help and you notice that they need help with something.
This is what Jesus says about helping our friends
John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
Don’t you like to be friends with Jesus? How about calling Him your best friend? Then do what He commands. Help your friends.
I pray that God will strengthen you in the area of helping your friends.
Prayer:
Lord, Jesus, thank You for the wonderful friends You surround me with. I pray that You make me a better friend. I want to be always ready to help my friends in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Action point:
Will you look round at your friends today and see what areas they need help with. You could also ask them what they need help with.
Declaration:
I am compassionate. I share what I have with my friends.
Who is your friend? That is one question that you must ask and answer if you desire to become the best of who you are meant to be.
Julius had a problem. He needed a solution. This issue had been eating deep into him. He just couldn’t wrap his head around it. He began to emaciate as a result of excessive thinking. He wasn’t looking like the Julius everyone knew. His parents wondered what could be wrong with their once lively lad.
He knew he had to find a solution to whatever was wrong with him. Just like a flash, he remembered his one time buddy and friend, Samson. Who is your friend? Who do you call friend? Samson was not really born again, that was why he cut ties with him initially, but now, he needed his help desperately.
Oh, why didn’t I think about him before now? He asked himself.
Off, he dashed to Samson’s house and discussed with him. In the end, Samson had a good time laughing at his long time friend who was looking worried over a “simple” matter.
Samson told him what to do. Even though he knew it was wrong, he went ahead, as he needed a solution badly. Who is your friend?
This was what happened to Amnon, David’s son. What was heavy in his heart, became a small matter in the eyes of his friend because his friend had a devilish mind.
As a matter of fact, Bible says his friend was a subtle, shrewd and crafty person.
Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab always knew how to get what he wanted,
2 Sam 13:3 (CEV)
Jonadab put Amnon in trouble, just like Samson did to Julius in the story above.
Little wonder the Bible says
Stop being deceived: “Wicked friends lead to evil ends.
1 cor 15:33 (ISV)
Who are those you call friends? Are they really worth it? Are they after your wellbeing or your downfall?
Talk to your parents. Let them help you identify who your friends really are.
Prayer: Lord, help me to identify my real friends. Amen
