Today : Don’t Judge, Love Instead
TODAY’S VERSE
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” Matthew 7:1-3 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is so easy to judge someone else isn’t it? If I am not careful, I will become judge and jury over someone else’s behavior and not even notice that I have committed the greater sin. Jesus had a lot to say about this behavior. He says to get rid of the log in our own eye first, then go after someone else’s speck! David Powlison has written, “We judge others–criticize, nit-pick, nag, attack, condemn–because we literally play God. This is heinous. The Bible says, ‘There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you to judge your neighbor?’ Who are you when you judge? None other than a God wannabe. In this we become like the Devil himself. We act exactly like the adversary who seeks to usurp God’s throne and who acts as the accuser of the brethren.” How often have we become a “God wannabe”? Instead, today let us judge ourselves. Let us look at our own heart and behavior. Let’s repent of any judging we may be doing. When things irritate us or when we are tempted to judge someone else, let’s pray for them. Let’s ask God for discernment so we will know what we can do instead of judging. Let’s love the person. We need to see the person through the eyes of Jesus. After all, isn’t that what we would want people to do for us?
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, I am so guilty of judging others. I have been forgiven so much by You and yet I confess that I so quickly forget Your mercy and show no grace to someone else. I judge with my thoughts. I judge with my mouth. I judge with my actions. Please forgive me. Help me today, not to judge, but to choose the better way, the way of love and forgiveness.
AMEN
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I will not judge, I will love instead
Spend a few moments thinking about a time you were judging someone else. How productive was it? How did it make you feel? Picture Jesus saying, “There is a better way! Love one another.” Let that thought permeate your thinking. Love is a better way. LOVE is a better way. Feel the difference in your body between judging someone and loving them. Sense how right it is to love. Feel the Holy Spirit nudging your heart to confirm that love is the way. Today affirm, I will not judge, I will love instead.