“Judge not, lest you be judged.” Jesus’s words are often understood as, “Don’t judge anyone for anything at anytime.” Those same words are often hurled as a weapon to mean, “Don’t you dare judge me!”
The Greek word for “judge” used here means “to condemn”.
Jesus very plainly says that when we condemn others for what they do,
we will be condemning ourselves for what we do.
I like this translation:
“Refuse to be a critic full of bias toward others, and you will not be judged.
For you’ll be judged by the same standard that you’ve used to judge others.
The measurement you use on them will be used on you.
Matthew 7:1-2 The Passion Translation
Seeing someone else’s faults should be a cue for us to examine our own lives.
Wayne Stiles
“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them.
People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7b New Living Translation
We can’t see another’s heart or truly know their story.
And we don’t love as God loves – and He loves every one of us completely.
There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it ill behooves any of us
To find fault with the rest of us.
– James Truslow Adams
So …
God is always right, because he has all the facts.
And no matter who you think you are, when you judge others who do these things and then do the same things yourself, what makes you think that you will escape God’s judgment?
Do the riches of his extraordinary kindness make you take him for granted and despise him?
Haven’t you experienced how kind and understanding he has been to you?
Don’t mistake his tolerance for acceptance.
Do you realize that all the wealth of his extravagant kindness is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance? Romans 2:2b-4 TPT
Because …
And this is what God says we must do:
Believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.
1 John 3:23 Living Bible
Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—
yet love surpasses them all.
So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.
1 Corinthians 13:13 TPT
