From courtroom dramas to cooking shows, we are used to seeing judges on TV. Something has changed, though. We have moved from seeing someone else as the judge to believing that we are all judges.  When American Idol started, some tuned in to hear the music. Many however, tuned in to hear the judges’ critiques. It wasn’t the kind remarks that people talked about the next day. The sarcastic, nasty comments were the ones that were remembered and repeated. Soon, we were all convinced that we are judges and started offering our own pointed critiques. Other shows began encouraging this new approach to watching TV and interacting with those around us. Social media is now used to express judgments and air opinions as people look to inspire a laugh, a like, or even a following.

    One of the most quoted statements in the Bible is found in Matthew 7:1-5. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

    We usually hear people quote these words when they are being criticized.  People rarely quote it to themselves to help stifle their own opinion or rude comment.  We are happy to play the judge. It is only when someone else wants to critique us that we get concerned with quoting Jesus. Let’s consider these words closely.

    The word used here for “judge” carries the idea of condemning.  Jesus was confronting our fault-finding missions. He was addressing our tendency to hunt for and point out the faults of others while ignoring our own (or as a distraction from our own).

    Jesus continued here to tell us that we do need to judge, to use critical thinking in our assessments. We are told that we know a tree by its fruits. We know a false teacher by what they say, but also by what they produce. The problem is not with being wise, it is with being proud. Jesus used a great illustration to make His point. He asked who among us would try to get some sawdust out of someone else’s eye while we had a plank sticking out of our own. How ridiculous would that be and how obvious would the problem be to all who watched this absurd process? His point is revealed in verse 5 “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

    We need to use critical thinking to make wise choices, to know who to listen to, and to know how to help others. What we need to stop doing is walking around condemning each other without paying attention to the reality of our own sinful hearts. John 3:17 tells us that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world. Why? Because we are already condemned! Jesus came to rescue us!

    Think of it this way. You are standing before the judge’s bench. He declares you guilty and announces your sentence. He then stands up, takes off his robe, walks around the bench, and serves your sentence so that you can go free. How would you respond to that rescue? Would you thank him or demand to serve it your self? Would you humbly express your gratitude or would you point to someone else in the room and talk about their guilt?

    We do need to help each other and have the love and courage to confront what is wrong. But first, we need to have our own hearts right before God. This will help us to deal with each other in humility. When we look at others, we will be reminded that we are not their final court, and they are not ours. A heart forgiven by God will take the grace received and share it with others.

    One day we will all hear the words “All Rise” and the One we face will not be one of us. Are you ready for that? It won’t matter then what anyone else did or did not do. It will only matter if my sinful heart has been dealt with by Jesus.