I'm Judging You...Sorry?

I don’t initially think of myself as a super judgy person, but as I dig a little deeper, I am evaluating people all day long. Do I trust you, like you, agree with how you parent, eat, dress, talk, look, drive, etc. All day long I am judging you...sorry!? Anyone with me?

“It’s the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love.” Billy Graham

I LOVE this quote for so many reasons and for so many applications. This week, we are going to focus on judging. If you remember, before Easter we started a blog series on Jesus’ words to His best friends and disciples as they were nearing the end of their 3 years together:

“Who do YOU say that I am?”

So much of how we see God dictates how we live our lives. For example, when we judge others what does that say about our view of God? Well, ultimately this is one of the most dangerous of all sins, contempt. I love Dallas Willard’s definition: Contempt is thinking that you’re better than someone else.  I do this all the time. I’ve mentioned it many times before, but when I get cut off on the road, I don’t give people the bird and honk, I smile with contempt:) I drive by with a “hey, no problem” kind of smirk, but in my heart, I think that I am better than that person. I do this with how others dress, look, smell, act, parent, etc.

This so reveals how my heart truly sees God, others and myself. In my judgement, I play the role of God, assigning identity statements for everyone else. I become judge, jury, and executioner in my heart because He’s apparently not doing His job :).

By judging others with contempt, I am saying that I don’t trust God. By judging others, I am saying that I am not secure in my own identity in Him. Judgment is control. Judging others with contempt reveals deep unresolved fear. Judging others is finding safety in the classification and boxing in of my neighbors. Judging with contempt makes me feel better about me by putting others down.

If I’m honest, I don’t go around looking at everyone through the lens and heart of Jesus. I am not seeing others as if they are image bearers of the divine. What would that look like this week for us to practice seeing those around us through Jesus’ heart? To quiet the constant contemptuous evaluation of others and replace it with wonder. What if we practiced FREE-VALUATION, as one of my best friends and heroes Ryan Callaghan put it.

10000 MINUTES Practice:

This week, let’s suspend judgement of others, being free of contempt and evaluation, and instead practice curiosity and wonder. Let’s ask Jesus to give us His eyes and heart for others:

Let’s FREE-VALUATE