Who am I to Judge?

<I actually wrote this back in April for the blog due to things I saw going on, but was honestly too scared to post it – as this is not something I normally do. But given current events, I think now is a good time.>

There has been something weighing on my heart for quite a while now.. I see it at home, at church, at school, in the news, in the real world, …. I see it everywhere. And it hurts me. It weighs on my heart and soul. And I am also to blame. As you read this, don’t think I’m pointing fingers and being holier than thou, because if I am pointing fingers, they are at myself. I am just at a point where I feel that someone needs to stand up and say something. I have had my eyes wide open for a few months, observing this happening in many different situations, I have also witnessed my own self doing it, to others out right, or in my own mind.  (As I write this, you is me, this is as much about the way I act, think, treat others, as it is about what I have observed.)

Do you know what it is? Can you guess?

Judgment. We are judging everyone we meet, or even worse, people who we have never met, but just heard rumors about through people in our lives or people in the news! We have never met someone, yet we think that we are holier than them, or we think “Oh, he’s famous, but he’s such a sinner!” Well guess what? ….so am I! We ALL are. I know, that sucks. But we are not perfect!

Because of our judgment comes a myriad of other sins. Judging others all the time, thinking that we are better Christians than someone else, causes us to forget something very important – when we show this judgment to others, when they notice how we act, telling others they will go to hell (a “Christian” group on my undergrad campus would actually tell people this if others were doing things they disagreed with!), pointing out the wrongs in others, this makes others see just how ungodly we truly are.

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Oh, how this quote pains me. It rips and pulls at my heart from every direction. I hope you already know this. I hope you know that we are not Christlike… But what I am hoping that you “get” through this, is that you truly realize how many people feel this way! Heck, I feel this way, even though I am one of these people who is so incrediblly unChristlike!

"The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyles. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." Brennan Manning

Our ungodliness, our not being Christlike, makes Christianity look bad, it makes Christians look bad, it makes everything we stand for null. Do you honestly believe that treating others differently because they are a different religion, color, sexual orientation, etc. than you, that you are showing God’s love? Do you honestly believe that treating others differently will bring them to Christ? Do you honestly believe that telling someone, or saying it in a round about way, or saying it in a way where you don’t think they will realize you are talking about them, will help them? That it will make them feel better about themselves? NO! And if you don’t show God’s love, if you don’t try to bring them to Christ, if you don’t make them feel better or help them, then what is your ends to this means? It is time that we make a change! Stop thinking you are better because you have Christ, or because you study the Bible more, or if you are not a Christian – stop thinking that putting Christianity down will help anyone! Quit judging others for their sins, or wrongdoings when you are also committing sins, even if they are different sins. That’s the thing, a sin is a sin. Sins hurt you. Sins hurt other people.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Now I am not saying that all sins are equal, but I’m not saying that they are not either. That is not what my point is. My point is just because someone has a sin that you believe is something terribly awful, you must remember that you also have sins! And guess what….

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28

This is also another means to my end. We are forgiven by Christ’s blood. We know that. But another verse –  which I have heard my whole life and I’m sure other Christians have as well – that I have always known but have not lived it out, is

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15

!!!! <- That’s all I have for that… But seriously, =come on people. This comes back to our judgment! How is it that you can judge someone for their way of life, when that means sacrificing your own forgiveness, and putting yourself right where they will be at the end of this thing called life. Because one lives a life that you think is not going to get them through the pearly gates, if you do not forgive them and love on them and tell them that Christ loves them through everything, then what is your reason for even giving them a second thought? Judging others will not help you or anyone else one single ounce. There is no point in judging others because it will only hurt you.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

We are here to love. If we want to live Christ-filled lives, Christ-led lives, Christ-like lives, we’ve got some major changes to make! It is time for us to love others!!! No matter what their lifestyle is, no matter what their walk with God looks like (because guess what? We don’t know what their relationship with God is!! Only that person and God knows their true relationship),  no matter what we think about a person, it is time for us to forgive them, love them, treat them well, treat them how Christ would. Can you do that? I can’t at all times, I know I will stumble, I know I will, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try as much as I possibly can, reminding myself often to love as best as I can. Let’s go back to What Would Jesus Do? Shaming others and judging them is not what Jesus would do.

When these thoughts enter your mind – thoughts of judging someone or disagreeing with someone’s actions or lifestyle – pray for them instead. Pray that they will find Christ, and pray that they will see Christ through your actions.