I’m going to judge you wrong.

Romans 2:  ¹ You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ² Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.

³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

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Self-acclaimed church critic, no drinking, rule follower is what I had become.  I couldn’t even watch TV comfortably because it just had, what I thought, too much junk.  You see, I had come a long way from where I used to be. I promised GOD I would no longer cuss and spit and I felt HE should give me stuff in return. What could possibly be wrong with any of this?

• When I think “I” have arrived I will get the impression it’s my duty to clean someone else up.
• When I think “I” have arrived I will accept the improvements I have already made and become complacent towards further change.
• When I think “I” have arrived I will judge others hoping they will “come up” to “my level.”

It is unhealthy to think to lowly or too highly of oneself. I mean if I think I have arrived then I am thinking too highly of myself and if I grovel like I don’t deserve anything then it is possible I don’t know who I am related to very well. GOD wants me to understand people make mistakes and so do I. HE wants me to correct my course as well as others while not judging.

• Judgment says “I” am right and “you” are wrong, course correction says “we” are wrong and GOD is right.
• Judgment says ”I” am righteous and “you” are not, course correction says “all have sinned” BUT GOD made a way to save us.
• Judgment says “I” have accomplished a lot for GOD what about you?”, course correction says “GOD has done everything for us.”

Followers of CHRIST are obligated to help people stay on the course “and” correct people in love. Any judgment that makes “me” look better will not work. I should know, just ask my family. Here is how I think judgment works. Before I accuse “that” person of a specific wrong I better check my past to see if I haven’t done a form of the same thing.

Then I need to check my compassion level for wanting to restore the person rather than condemning them. Finally I have to check with GOD to see if HE even wants “me” to be the person to bring this to their attention. Judging is dangerous for me because “I” have to stand before GOD one day.

• Are you judging someone over their lifestyle?
• Is your message of Great News coming across as being a self-righteous snob?
• Are you so heavenly bound that you are no earthly good?
• Can you lighten up where you need to in order to win “that” person?
• Won’t you drop your fight with “that” person so GOD can do HIS correcting?