Matthew 7:1-2 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

This is difficult for the believer. I am not talking about having a problem judging because everyone have a problem with being judgmental. I instead mean that we as believers have a hard time with the fine line between standing in judgment on a person and letting them know that they are in the wrong on or about something.

I was driving back to work last year after going home to eat my lunch (I had left it behind earlier). My music blaring and I was paying no attention to my surroundings. While on one lengthy back-country road, I saw a car in the ditch ahead. I slowed down and saw that it was a police car. I decided that he in no way needed my assistance and so I continued on. A bit further down the road I looked in my rear view mirror and saw the police car pull out of the ditch and speed up behind me. Then I saw blue lights. Uh oh. I pulled over to the side and the policeman pulled in behind me. He came up to my window and asked me if I knew why he pulled me over. I said that I did not and he told me that he had clocked me going 73 in a 55. Thats quite high. I probably was I had no way of knowing since I had not been paying attention. He saw my uniform and asked if I was going back to work and just coming from lunch and I told him that I was on both questions. He wrote me a warning and let me go.

This story has helped me with making the distinction between judging people and correcting them. The policeman, when he pulled me over, was not in judgment over me. His job was to keep the law. He was correcting me and letting me know that I was in the wrong because I was speeding and that is breaking the law. If I had gone to court, the judge would listen to both sides of the issue and if I was in the wrong he would pronounce judgment or what would happen to me since I broke the law. I was speeding, but the officer was polite and nice and told me to watch my speed and he let me go. He did not have to do that, he could have fined me instead. If he had, he still would not have been in judgment over me since the law states that the speed limit on that road is 55 mph and every 1 mph over that is worth so much in fines as well as a minimum fine. It is there in the law. The officer has no say over any changes. He must either charge me or warn me. He warned me.

The most quoted verse of the bible, believers and non-believers alike is Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you are not judged.” I know that I have been asked by people “Who are you to judge me!” To which I have had to respond “I am not judging you. I am just saying that this is wrong and needs to change. God is the judge of everyone. He determines what is sin, He determines what is right and what is wrong, and He determines punishment, not us. However, He has written extensively on the topic to let those of us who have chosen Him know His requirements, rules, and regulations. He has let us know what is right and what is wrong. We can not tell a non-Christian that they are sinning and ruining their witness, however we are expected to be frank and earnest with each other, upholding, encouraging, correcting, and holding to His standard all those who claim Him as Lord and Saviour. We are not to be harsh and crude, but loving and kind. We can all too easily fall to being in judgment over another person and we do not know the issues involved. Be careful! Be watchful! Be prayerful!

When o’er the fame of friend or foe, The shadow of disgrace shall fall; instead
Of words of blame, or fatal blow—Let something good be said.

Forget not grace, no sinner yet may fall so low but Christ can lift his head,
While cheeks of shame with tears are wet; Let something be good said.