Prayer to avoid unrighteous judgment
Author: Emily Rose Massey
Bible reading:
“Judge not, lest you be judged: for with the judgment that you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure that you use it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2, ESV).
Listen or read below:
My church’s women’s ministry hosts monthly women’s gatherings where we enjoy food, fellowship, worship, teaching, and table discussions. It really is a great time to spend time with my sisters in Christ. For the past four years, I have had the pleasure and honor of serving as a table leader during after-class discussion time. One of the things I really appreciate about our women’s ministry leadership team is that they prayerfully assign each woman to a specific table, ensuring a variety of ages and experiences. Also, we all have the wonderful opportunity and blessing to meet new women every month.
Last month, there were three women at my table who were new to church and I had never met before. While I was teaching, one of the young women on my right was flipping through all the scripture references in the study Bible, eagerly highlighting and taking notes, even though handouts with all the information were already provided. It is very common for women to simply follow the outline and pay attention to the slides that already have the scripture references. My mind immediately wondered…why does she emphasize so much in the Bible and take so many notes? Is she trying to impress us or seem more devoted than others?
During our discussion, it didn’t take long for me to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It became clear to me after she told me a little about herself. Just two months ago, she stepped into our church for the first time…it was the true church experience of her life. She also had never read the Bible before. Christianity was completely new to this kind college girl. One of my classmates (who happens to be a member) invited me to our church. There was no avoiding it. I made the wrong decision for this young woman who was incredibly eager to learn more about Jesus and His Word. These are the moments we pray, but here I was making assumptions and almost missing out on God working in someone’s heart. I was immediately reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 7.
“Do not judge, lest you be judged; for with the judgments that you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure that you use it will be measured to you” (verses 1-2).
Indeed, this verse is widely taken out of context and is often used to condemn those who aspire to uphold God’s truth and condemn false teachers. Jesus does not tell us not to judge at all, especially when it comes to exercising discernment. Righteous judgment is needed when we have to judge truth from falsehood, when we have to evaluate acts of sin in order to hold each other accountable as Christians, or when we have to share the gospel with unbelievers. When we find ourselves making assumptions about others, being critical and overly critical and putting others down, we must repent of our actions. This is the kind of judgment Jesus warns us about. We are hypocrites if we impose standards on others that we ourselves do not want to live up to, and this passage in Matthew emphasizes exactly that.
It’s important to remember that your observations of others should not create an image in your head about them, especially if you don’t know them at all. When you make judgments or assumptions about someone or their character, you hinder your relationship with that person and create walls inside your heart. We can miss out on great conversations centered around Christ, or even beautiful friendships. One of the best ways to protect our hearts from this kind of overly critical and judgmental attitude is to remember how much Christ loved us even when we were sinners (Romans 5:8). We should aspire to extend such grace and kindness to others because we are undeserving of such generosity, mercy, and mercy from the Lord. After all, we are all image bearers, and each person should be seen as such. May the Lord take our gaze away from ourselves and help us to see who He wants us to reach out to and show His love to…free us from unjust judgment.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
I am not worthy of your great mercy and mercy. How can I be so selfish as to keep that love to myself and withhold it from others? I regret being unnecessarily judgmental and critical of others, sometimes making assumptions about their motives and personalities based on the slightest interactions or observations. You created each of us and longs for us to know your love. Please help me bring that love and light to the world. When you are tempted to view others in an unreasonably negative light, condemn your own mind for its selfish and selfish ways. I long to walk humbly and mercifully like you.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/GaudiLab
Emily Massey started writing short stories and poems at a young age, entered the world of blogging in her early twenties, and published her first book in 2015. While she enjoys being a homeschool mom to four boys, she is also able to pursue her passion as a writer. She believes much is forgiven, loves much, and desires to teach others about Christ and His saving and transforming power, especially by sharing the truths found in God’s written Word. To connect with Emily, please visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.
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