Here come da judge

"Here come da judge." Remember that schtick from the old 60s Laugh In comedy show? (I'm too young to remember it. Someone told me about it. Titter, titter.) Ever felt that way about people you've known? You know that at some point your conversation is going to turn into a session of that person being critical and judging your actions or motives. You almost don't want to have a conversation with them, or at least avoid bringing up certain topics. Don't you just hate that? I wonder sometimes if I'm that guy. Man I can be so quick to judge people! In fact, I wonder if what has come to be known as Christianity isn't the living incarnation of "da judge." I know some of my non-Christian acquaintances see it that way.

Well, I'm a follower of Jesus, and these days, sad to say, I wonder how much being his follower relates to at least the public persona of Christianity. As a "disciple" of Jesus, I am quite obviously interested in what he has to say about a host of subjects. Judgmentalism is one of the big ones. Sometimes, I think it has become synonymous with Christians these days. I see/hear that topic on blogs, Facebook, or in face-to-face conversations and people rise to red-faced anger quicker on that subject than any other I know. "Who are you to judge me?!" I hear non-Christians say that to Christians. I hear Christians say that to Christians.

You know, I think there are good reasons for judgmentalism comments I hear. Having someone make a judgment call on our decision, lifestyle choice, or mistake quickly drills deep into the psyche, the spirit. All of us are broken at some level, visible or invisible. We all react to our brokenness in our own way. Some of us deny it. Some of us deny that we are anything but divine, and so therefore, just can't be broken, just unenlightened. Some of us avoid facing it. Some come clean and seek help. Some turn to Jesus, the one whom I've discovered is amazing at untwisting us, healing our wounds and damage.

Back to the question. What about it? Who ARE you to judge another person?

I really like Jesus. Seriously. He's so practical and down to earth and to the point. My friend, Penni, quotes Gandhi on her Facebook page, "I don't hate your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ." Owie. If I'm going to call myself a "Christian" or at least a follower of Jesus Christ, I think I need to know him more. I need to know what he has to say about this issue.

So, I'm looking at one of the sources, the Gospel of Matthew, chapter seven, and here's what he says about this. "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you."

My first question is, what does it mean to judge? In many ways the Greek language (the original for the New Testament) is much more precise than ours. For instance, there are three or four words for love. Agape, phileo, eros. I guess we're just so efficient in English that we have all-purpose words. We just say, "love" ... and let you figure out what it means. "I LOVE that cake!" is different from "I love you, my friend!" or "[husband to wife] I LOVE you ... Baby!" "For God so LOVED the world that he gave his son." "Greater LOVE has no man than this..." Different words. It's the same here in Matthew. There is more than one word for judge. Krino, diakrino, anakrino. One means to discern, one, to evaluate. One means to make a choice or a distinction. Here it means "to pass judgment" or "sit in judgment." To be the judge over another's character. To set yourself up as the judge of someone's character or motive. A "critical spirit."

Jesus is urging us, Don't do this! This setting oneself up as the judge of one's character or motive can start with one critical statement. "Look at her. Like SHE needs to eat that dessert." "That kid is NO GOOD. He'll never amount to anything." Jesus cautions us. "Don't do that. Go easy on the people God has placed in your path." Not only do you tear down and destroy a part of a person, but ... listen to this [I'm pausing for effect] ...   a critical spirit can boomerang. What goes around comes around. "In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you." Give THAT a second thought. Downright frightening.

Here's the upshot. You don't see the end of the story. The end of that person's story hasn't been written. NEWS FLASH. You are not God, the Judge. Stop acting like it. You don't know how God is at work in that person. I've heard people say something like, "I was fighting you on the outside, but inside something was stirring, listening."

Look at the rest of this. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of  your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?" Let me tell you something straight. Your problems, the problems in your character, your "issues," are much more important to deal with than someones else's. I like that saying, "When you point a finger remember three fingers are pointing back at you."

Do you know why the stuff in the other guy's eye looks like a speck to you? Something that should be easily fixed, with a little effort? Because you're not close enough to really see what's going on inside that person. You're too far away -- even IF you are standing right in front of them. You DON'T KNOW WHAT GOD KNOWS. It may very well be a plank-sized problem, but it's just none of your business.

The other reason it looks like a speck, i.e., something different than what it really is, is that you have a dang board stuck in your eye -- obscuring your vision. You can't see accurately because of your own "stuff." Let me take it a step further. You can't understand what's in another person's heart (eye) because you are a human being with weaknesses. Not only do you not have the insight, but you don't have the strength to stand in judgment over someone else. You're not God... right?

Go easy on people. You've needed slack, so do they. Does that mean you can't help them. Of course it doesn't mean that. But, you know what? I don't think we are ever "plankless." As soon as we get the plank out, another one slides right in behind it. Our vision is always at least a bit impaired. We never have enough insight to stand in judgment over someone, to cross them off. How often do you cross people off, judge their character, think less of them because you've judged the end from the beginning? I think Jesus might be pointing us back to our "Father who sees in secret" (Matthew 6). Ask God what, if anything, you can be doing to partner with him in that person's life. If it doesn't come clear to you, go back to sawing your plank. And, pray for that person. And, don't tell anyone else. "I want to tell you about Ezzy so you can pray for her." Did you see the operable word, "secret"? A good reason for that. Look what Jesus says next. "You hypocrite." It's like he's caught us red-handed. "Ha! Caught ya!" I think he said that with a little grin on his face. [Rumor has it he loves us even in all our feebleness and folly.]

Do you ever wonder why you feel a need to judge others? Why do you worry about it? I'm not gonna get very far into that. But, I do think that Jesus' whole emphasis in this part of his teaching in Matthew is that God's gonna take care of things, including you, including that person you are so anxious to peg. (Read the verses just prior in chapter six.) Why do you worry about this other person? God's got your back ... as well as that person's. Don't worry yourself over this other guy. You've got enough to deal with yourself ... today.

Well, I suppose that's all for now. There is a bunch more, but I see someone coming down the road, and need to hide. It's da judge.