In our last series we set our vision for this year - committing to our God-given missions. So, that's going to be the focus of the next eleven devotional series. And this next one is going to be challenging.
I've titled February's devotions, "Not Judge or Jury." We're not here in the world to judge others; that's not our job, it's not our mission. In fact, we're not even a part of the jury, because none is needed. I'm not meaning this like in a court of law situation, but as a Christian trying to love others situation.
How we feel or think about others doesn't change how much God loves them or how He's views them. Think about this, He's seen all of us at our ugliest, so our opinion of someone doesn't influence Him.
As people committed to our missions, it's hard to have hope in our negativity toward people. Judging people distracts us and blocks us from pursuing our mission. A critical mindset limits are connections. Lastly, being judgmental takes up time we could be using to rest.
So, we see why it's important to stop this sin struggle. Now, how do we go about doing that? In this series, we will face the 8 reasons - two a week - why we judge others and how to combat each.
Week 1 is Misunderstandings and Assumptions 2/3
Week 2 will be Pride and Insecurity 2/10
Week 3's focus is Expectations and Comparisons 2/17
Week 4 is Power and Control 2/24
It's time we battle our need and desire to judge over love.
Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash
There are many reasons to why we judge people and an equal amount of ways we do it. Two of these are through misunderstandings and making assumptions.
Eli, a priest, ended up doing this when he saw a young woman moving her mouth without any sound coming out. He assumed that she was drunk; however, Hannah was actually crying out to God. Jesus experienced being criticized by people who taught others about God’s law. They believed that Jesus was wrong for having dinner with individuals who often were thought of as sinners, but these were the kinds of people He came to seek out. We might even assume the worst of a kind action, like King Hanun. When David sent out a group to express his condolences about the death of his father, King Hanun listened to people’s negative assumptions about why David might have sent them. Ultimately, a battle ensued because of how the King reacted.
Four ways we can react in love are: One, figure out facts instead of making accusations. Whether it’s from impatience or laziness, we tend to skip collecting, or ignore, the facts about a situation or individual. Instead of going right into making assumptions, try to seek out the facts by listening about what truly happened in the situation or reaching out to get to know the person. Two, choose to see and think the best about people. I’m not saying to ignore their problems, but don’t let their flaws be your title for them. Three, don’t treat people like others expect you to; treat them how God tells you to. It’s easy to join in on judging others, let’s remember though that God loves them as much as He loves us. Four, surround ourselves with people who will advise you to react in love. Search out people who’ll want to encourage us toward love, not criticism.
Here’s what will happen if you continue to react in judgement: You’ll be judged – Jesus warns us that when and how we judge, in the same way, we’ll be judged. You’ll end up feeling guilty – If you find out that your judgement or assumption is inaccurate, Satan can use guilt to eat away at you. You’ll start fights – Judging people in our thoughts can come through in the way we treat others, which can push them to react back.
God’s Guidance:
Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) – ““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.”
1 Samuel 1:9-16 (NIV) – “Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.””
Mark 2:13-17 (NIV) – “Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.""
2 Samuel 10:1-7 (NIV) – “In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away. When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.” When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob. On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men."
Application:
1. Reflect on whether those around you help you to think positively about others or negatively, then reflect in what way you’re helping them view others – adjust accordingly
2. Focus on the positive characteristics and traits of others this week
3. Go to God and repent of your judgmental mindset
Strength Point:
Reacting in love in times of misunderstandings and assumptions can protect us from feelings of guilty or starting a fight
Song of the Week:
Prayer Prompt:
Hi Jesus! Thank You for giving up Your life so that I could have the opportunity to be saved from the judgement of my sins. I don’t deserve Your love, yet, You still love me with the purest of loves. I’m sorry for being critical of others because of misunderstandings and through making negative assumptions. I pray that You would soften my heart when I run into situations with misunderstandings. Teach me to reach out to and befriend people who have been misunderstood, instead of joining in on judging them. Help me to stay away from making assumptions about people. Encourage me to focus on what I do know about them and how You view them. I don’t want misunderstandings or assumptions to block me from fully loving the people around me. Thank You for never misunderstanding me or making assumptions about me. You know everything about me, even more than I do. I love You, God! In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.
A Prayer to Pray over Others:
Hi Jesus! Thank You for giving up Your life so that we can have the opportunity to be saved from the judgement of our sins. No one deserves Your love, yet, You still love us with the purest of loves. Help my friend to not be critical of others, especially because of misunderstandings or through making negative assumptions. I pray that You would soften their heart when they run into situations with misunderstandings. Teach my friend to reach out to and befriend people who have been misunderstood, instead of joining in on judging them. Help them to stay away from making assumptions about people. Encourage them to focus on what they do know about them and how You view each person. Give my friend the desire to not allow misunderstandings or assumptions to block them from fully loving others. Thank You for never misunderstanding us or making assumptions about us. You know everything about every one of us, even more than we ourselves do. I love You, God! In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, amen.
February is Black History Month! Celebrate with us by listening to great Christian music by Evan & Eris.
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