Jesus on Judging

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“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? 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.

Matthew 7:1-5

This is another familiar passage of Scripture on pronouncing judgment on others.  Sometimes it’s used to simply promote tolerance as if Jesus is saying, “live and let live”.  Don’t point the finger at me and I won’t point the finger at you.  However, this doesn’t go far enough or deep enough.  Here’s a couple observations from this text:

First, Jesus calls the person we are judging our “brother”.  Brother, brother, brother. Three times Jesus intentionally uses this word brother.  O brother!  Jesus is redundant here.  It’s as if Jesus wants to remind the one pronouncing judgment that when you condemn those who are different than you, you are condemning a member of your own family, your own kin, your own blood.

  Second, He points out, rather creatively, that it’s our own imperfections that blind us to seeing others rightly.  We can’t see others splinters rightly when our own eye has a log jammed in it.   How true!  So often the  “junk” going on in my life impairs how I see others throughout my day.  My wife, my kids, the person going way too slow in traffic!   We often don’t see things the way they really are, we see things the way we are.   Jesus advice?  Grab some Saline Solution and a wash cloth.  Get that gunk out that's impairing your perception. Remove that which truly is agitating you and blurring your vision.   Only then you will see and respond to others more rightly.  

Finally, Jesus says we best exercise great caution.  The judgment you pronounce on others will boomerang back on you.   When you sow judgement, you will reap judgment.  Sow condemnation, reap condemnation.  Sow critique and criticism, you will reap it.  What a powerful understanding of community.  What you pour into the world, will ultimately be poured back out onto you.  What are you pouring out on those around you? Be careful of the bullets you let fly. They just might ricochet back at you!

The Weapons of Jesus

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus redefines the borders of community in the most radical way.  He tackles head on the most primal instinct in human experience. . .self-preservation.

Historically humanity has held to one primary strategy in dealing with our enemy and those who would seek to persecute us or our clan.  Eradicate them before they eradicate you!   Violence always seems warranted for the sake of self-preservation.  And, it’s no surprise that almost all wars are waged under the guise of “defending ourselves”.    

The problem, according to Jesus, is that any kind of violence drives our souls far from the mutual Father that we all share.   So, Jesus provides a different approach, a more effective strategy that wages war on evil without annihilating our enemy in the process.  

His strategy?  Love and prayer.  Now, this seems laughable at first glance.  However, before dismissing this idea outright we must ask ourselves a basic question.  What kind of power resides in love and prayer?  If prayer and love are viewed merely as cute sentiments, then Jesus words are no more than mere platitudes, chicken soup for a sucker’s soul.   Look, Jesus Christ was no sissy. He's not being clever or cute with words. He's offering a secret weapon to dismantle evil and rid this world of hate.

However, if love and prayer really have intrinsic power then Jesus’ words here are both radical and dangerous.  

Radical?  Yes, radical.  After all, who do you know who regularly wages war using the “weapons” of love and prayer?  It seems ludicrous.  No wonder people thought Jesus was out of his mind!  But, make no mistake, Jesus is offering a very real strategy.  And, only radically courageous people in history have used it. And, truthfully, it's so radical that people are terrified of it.  Which is why Jesus, Martin Luther King and Gandhi were viewed as extremists and hunted down like criminals.  For being loving and praying for their enemies? Yes, it each of these men were hunted down and assassinated for exercising this radical strategy of love and prayer.  Hmmm.  Maybe this notion of loving our enemies is even more radical than we thought. .  .and more dangerous. 

    Dangerous because Jesus’ words have the power to dismantle evil without destroying the individual.

At this point, we have to stop and ask ourselves a couple big picture questions.  First, do we believe in the raw, intrinsic power of love and prayer?   Secondly, do we view love and prayer as an effective strategy to subvert hate and evil in this world?  If you answered yes to these two questions, then you are beginning to think like Jesus did.  And, the next step is to get personal.    

How do you currently feel towards those who long for your demise?  What’s your prayer life look like towards those who you want least in this world?  Are you spending energy demonizing your enemies or interceding on their behalf?  What are some practical ways you can practice showing love and respect to those who show you neither?  

The goal of Jesus’ community is not the elimination of our enemy, but the capturing of their hearts and arresting of their souls towards God.  Want to do something both radical and dangerous for a change?  It starts with love and prayer.