Don’t Judge Me!!!

Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy, but who are you who judge your neighbor?

James 4:11-12

The last couple of years have been really hard in regards to dealing with exposed and obvious sin in my own life, but it’s been an especially hard struggle to know how to deal with exposed sin in the lives of those I love and are close to me.

It’s awkward and painful to really know what we are supposed to do when sin rears it’s ugly head and begins to demolish and wound…especially when it’s not OUR sin. Unless you are a “church leader,” it seems that the tendency among normal folk like me is to ignore the sin…because not ignoring the sin is so painful and terrible that the most loving thing (translation: the most comfortable thing) must to be to just ignore and endure it.

On top of the terribleness of dealing with sin, often when you are addressing sin in someone else’s life there is this fun little statement:  ”you’re judging me.”

I’ve had a hard time knowing what to do with this statement because:

1.) It just doesn’t sound right in particular situations. It sounds like a way to escape and not an accurate assessment of what is happening because in my heart I haven’t felt judgmental.

2.) This statement has caused me pause because I want to take being judgmental seriously because I want to please God with my life and His Word (as seen above) is very adamant about not judging one another.

I feel like the Lord, through His Word, has given me some clarity recently  on what being judgmental is and what it isn’t.

You see, it’s very interesting to me that James of all the authors is the one making the statement above about not judging your brother because a chapter earlier James is passionately talking about the importance of works in our lives. Obviously, there is some controversy about exactly what James is saying…but either way you slice it, it’s obvious that James is saying that what we do with our lives matters. So here you have a guy saying “act right” and then saying “don’t judge.” It makes me think that maybe our definition of “judging” one another is off at times.

That is when the Lord highlighted for me the part that talks about Him being the ONLY Lawgiver and Judge. I pondered on that for a minute as my heart soaked in it’s truth.

The thing is…God has already judged some things as not being right and good. He has already judged some actions, some behaviors, some ways of thinking, and some states of the heart as being sinful. As one who is not the judge, I must submit and agree with His judgment on things He has already judged. This is why it is not “judgmental” to call sin in our lives sin…because God has already called it sin. In fact, I am making myself the judge if I don’t agree with God on what He has already judged.

To be judgmental (which is actually just an illusion, because we have no real judgement on anything), is to judge what God hasn’t yet judged…or the things on which He hasn’t yet reveal His judgment. This is why I can’t “write somebody off.” I can’t condemn them in my heart because God’s judgment on that person isn’t known yet.

In short, I can agree with the judgments of God but I can’t judge the things He has yet to judge.

That is why I feel compelled to be both persistent in being unafraid to call out and deal with sin, while also being persistent and diligent to pray, hope, fight for, and believe the best for that person.

Sin doesn’t want to be exposed. Sin is destructive and so if we love each other it is most loving thing for us to continue to help each other get rid of the sin in our lives with gentleness, kindness, and compassion but also while not shying away from the truth. It’s hard. To our shame, we all put up a fight when the Lord is weeding out sin in our lives…and we especially fight those the Lord is using to get the sin out of our lives…and it hurts everyone involved.

Press on. Don’t listen to the accuser who tries to paralyze you with false accusations. Fight for the best in each other. Pray for one another.

The judgements of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is a great reward.

Who can dicers his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

Also keep Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless, and I will be acquitted of great transgression.

Psalm 19:9-13

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