JUDGE NOT

“1 Judge not, that you be not judged.

2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why behold you the mote that is in your brother’s eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye?

4 Or how will you say to your Brother, Let me pull out the mote out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your Brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

For many, this is the only Scripture they know and are infamous for using it out of context. Please allow me a moment to give you exactly what this Scripture is referring to, namely the Scripture just prior to Matthew 7:1.

Matthew 6:25-34:

“25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:25-34.

We (Christians) are quick to declare “Judge not” while turning our eyes to our fellow Christians judging their circumstances as God’s wrath. Job’s friends are a dime a dozen. We need to stop looking unto our Brethren and determining their blessings or their lack of blessings is due to some hidden sin or their consecration unto the Lord. Allow me to remind us all, the Lord blessed the Israelites in the wilderness in spite of their rebellion. Ultimately an entire generation of Israelites were eternally lost as they perished in the wilderness but until they drew their last breath the Lord blessed them. Did they die lost? Sadly, yes. However, their time in the wilderness was to draw them nearer to the Lord but they refused and sought other ways.

Be careful of judging your Brethren. We do not know what the Lord is doing in their hearts and lives but we do know that whatever it is, that it is for their good and WE will be judged by the way we treated them during their test of faith. God remembered how the Israelites were treated in the wilderness by others and He judged them…not Israel.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24

The Christian is supposed to judge righteously according to the Word of God. If a Brother or Sister is overtaken by sin, pray with them and for them. We are given God’s Word and He has already determined what is sin and if it’s sin according to the Word of God, realize it and get on your knees and PRAY for them!!

There is victory, spiritual victory, in the Cross of Christ Jesus but many have their eyes on the circumstances of others which is destroying their very own spiritual victory. Look to Calvary. Remember from whence you came, recognize where you are and know in Whom you have believed. The Lord has made a way for YOU but many have been distracted by the circumstances of others and our lamps have gone dry. Our wicks are trimmed but our lamps dry.

We thought we had “graduated” but the Lord has led us back to the wilderness for more. Get Ready! Be determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified…the wilderness awaits.

-Donna Clark Warren