Week 9 - The People's Court
Text: Matthew 7:1-6
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "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? 4 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? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
I used to have some old episodes of "The Honeymooners" on VHS. I loved Ralph Kramden. He was loud, rash, and completely unaware of how out of control he was. As much as Ralph never wanted to admit it, Alice was in complete control of their castle.
While Ralph was a fun guy to watch, it's a horrible way to live. Think about the messes he made with his mouth, with his uniformed judgments, and with his rash decisions. If he could just stop, slow down, and think, Ralph's life, while not nearly entertaining, would have gone much smoother.
That's all that Jesus is trying to accomplish here, really. Think about what you are about to say, think about how you are going to say it, and think about who you are saying it to. Jesus is trying to help all of His followers to understand that judgment and criticism are potentially destructive devices, only to be used by those who are informed and qualified. No one in human race falls into either one of these categories, let alone both. So Jesus tells us to avoid sweeping statements about "those people" or "guys like you." Avoid looking at another with eyes to attack.
Instead stop and think about the grace you would like to receive, about how often we demand the benefit of the doubt from people that we do not readily give it to. Cut each other some slack, he encourages, look for the best, and deal with the worst with grace and mercy. We will all need someone to return the favor someday.
Things to ask yourself:
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "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? 4 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? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
I used to have some old episodes of "The Honeymooners" on VHS. I loved Ralph Kramden. He was loud, rash, and completely unaware of how out of control he was. As much as Ralph never wanted to admit it, Alice was in complete control of their castle.
While Ralph was a fun guy to watch, it's a horrible way to live. Think about the messes he made with his mouth, with his uniformed judgments, and with his rash decisions. If he could just stop, slow down, and think, Ralph's life, while not nearly entertaining, would have gone much smoother.
That's all that Jesus is trying to accomplish here, really. Think about what you are about to say, think about how you are going to say it, and think about who you are saying it to. Jesus is trying to help all of His followers to understand that judgment and criticism are potentially destructive devices, only to be used by those who are informed and qualified. No one in human race falls into either one of these categories, let alone both. So Jesus tells us to avoid sweeping statements about "those people" or "guys like you." Avoid looking at another with eyes to attack.
Instead stop and think about the grace you would like to receive, about how often we demand the benefit of the doubt from people that we do not readily give it to. Cut each other some slack, he encourages, look for the best, and deal with the worst with grace and mercy. We will all need someone to return the favor someday.
Things to ask yourself:
- Am I quick to judge? Why? What benefit do I receive from judging someone else?
- How do I handle the truth? Is it a tool or a weapon?
- What do we do with people who refuse the truth?
- What can I do to avoid being a person of judgment rather than a person of mercy?
posted by Brian Jenkins at 11:34 AM
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