Colliding truths are always fascinating. Try this. We should not criticize others, but making good decisions is an important part of living a good life. Should we become moral watchdogs who evaluate the actions and lifestyles of others, or should we simply adopt a let-live-and-let-live attitude, generously ignoring differences with an attitude of “all kinds of things are necessary to make the world” or “if it works for you, it works for you, so that’s okay”?
Those who advocate indifference to the actions of others may be quick to quote Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1-2. “Do not judge, or you will be judged, for just as you judge others, so you will be judged, and with the measure that you use, you will be measured.”
When is silence irresponsible?
If you take this literally, if your neighbor starts having another affair, or drives drunk in the suburbs, or yells endless insults at your spouse and children, you will be like the three wise monkeys and cover your eyes, ears, and mouth, and you will not see, hear, or speak of evil. But is that really the case? When is silence irresponsible? When does silence encourage abuse? Shouldn’t we make some decisions?
Of course, Jesus tells us not to judge others in Matthew 7, but he softens that idea in John 7:24 with the instruction, “Stop judging by mere appearances, but judge righteously.” Is there a difference between judging and judging? Yes, there is. Let’s think about it.
You and I are certainly not gods.
Judging others means…yes, judging others! That assumes that we are in a position to do this, and that perhaps we understand all of their motives, understand everything about them, and can accurately interpret their position. The problem is that only God has access to all information. And you and I are never gods. When we judge, we are acting on too many assumptions, a significant number of which are almost always wrong.
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt so critical of someone that you essentially ignored them?I have. And I discovered things that changed that perception and started seeing them in a new light. Some have become good friends.
There is an old saying that to know all is to forgive all.
There is an old saying that to know all is to forgive all. I don’t know if that’s always true, but it often is. The more you know, the less you can accept something. There is also information that makes you want to say, “That’s even worse!” But even if that were not true, the point of Jesus’ command in Matthew 7 is that we all need forgiveness.
When we are infuriated by others, do we forget the shadow within ourselves? Its shadow should give us pause before we rush toward judgment. While we may want to remember ourselves at our best, others may be experiencing us at our worst. Their ratings may vary widely!
Evaluation of the possible consequences of a particular action.
Jesus does not judge others, but rather encourages “right judgment.” what’s that? Well, it’s the right decision. It is not about the moral worth of others, but about evaluating the possible consequences of certain actions.
We may decide that if someone follows a certain path, nothing good will come from it. It’s just about being smart. And part of being wise is also deciding whether it’s appropriate to share your judgment with others.
Someone once said to me, “I’m a little worried about you. If you keep doing (something), I think you’re going to (burn out/get fed up/unnecessarily offend people, etc.).” It’s a decision they made, and for the most part, I appreciate it. Mainly because I don’t feel judged and I feel taken care of. Someone else’s “correct judgment” about your position may be very helpful to you.
Jesus also emphasized that a prerequisite for good judgment is not to be convinced by “mere appearances.” The broader context of John 7:24 was the controversy surrounding the Sabbath law, which Jesus was accused of violating. Based on “mere appearances,” the accusation was justified, but when we dig a little deeper, we realize that he was upholding the deepest intentions of the Sabbath law.
What’s really important here?
People with good judgment actively ask the question, “What is really important here?” It’s often not easy to answer, but it starts with curiosity.
There is a “why” behind every law and teaching in the Bible, and it is important to ask why questions. Naturally, we should ask as humble seekers. We may think we know why, and we’re completely wrong, but that doesn’t mean our curiosity is wrong.
Good judgment often leads to great compassion. Instead of thinking rashly, “What an asshole,” we might see something deeper: a quiet despair born of too many disappointments, or that there are no better models, or that there are no windows into life or the world.
If we make the right decisions, we may even be held accountable.
Instead of failure, we may find unreached potential. If we make the right decisions, we may even be held accountable. We may hear the promptings of the Spirit to help them reach that God-given potential, a picture of possibility rather than judgment.
There is another aspect in John 16:8, where Jesus teaches that it is the role of the Spirit to convict sin. It’s liberating! You and I are not the Holy Spirit. I have sometimes heard that Christians are shrill, judgmental judges. If you ask them why, they’ll say something like, “The stakes are high. If they don’t repent of their sins, they won’t be forgiven. And you and I both know that what they’re doing is wrong, so of course I’m judging them.”
The Spirit does what only the Spirit can do, creating a deep hunger for God, a recognition of sin, and a desire for forgiveness and new life.
Jesus suggested another way. In John 13:34-35, Jesus reveals a new commandment. It is a command to love one another in such a way that the watching world will know that we are the most faithful followers of Jesus Christ. And in my experience, when people see that, the Spirit does what only the Spirit can do and creates a deep hunger for God, a recognition of sin, and a desire for forgiveness and new life.
Our role is to love in radically new ways. We can trust the Holy Spirit to make any necessary convictions. In fact, I often began to wonder why the Spirit didn’t convict others of things that seemed clearly wrong to me, but then I realized that the Spirit was convicting me of my sins: my pride and a deeper, more perceptive lack of love.
When you step into any world, don’t judge, make the right decision. Good judgment looks beyond mere appearances, asks curious questions, is shaped by love, and remembers its own shadow. People of right judgment will be thankful that God is God and will be content to see the Spirit working in the world to do what only the Spirit of God can do.
Originally published on Brian Harris’ blog. Republished with permission.
Dr. Brian Harris is based in Perth, Australia. After decades of church ministry and 17 years of teaching theological colleges, he now directs the Avenir Leadership Institute, a forward-looking consulting firm that helps develop the kinds of leaders the world needs. Brian is the author of seven books, the most recent of which are Why Christianity is Probably True (Paternoster, 2020) and Stirrers and Saints: Forming Spiritual Leaders of Skill, Depth and Character (Paternoster, 2024).
