Judgement
Scripture:
Romans 12:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
John 7:24
Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.
Reflection:
Today I choose to fast from the sin of judgement
Envy and judgement go hand in hand. When we envy what others have we often do so because we have judged that they are not worthy in some way. We envy someone’s job or salary because we have judged their worth ethic and believe that we work harder or deserve more. We envy someone’s social status because we have judged their character and believe that we are better or should be more well-liked. Maybe you can think of more examples in your own life.
Yet our judgement are almost always based on external perceptions and partial experiences. We cannot really know what motivates someone, what they do when nobody is watching, or the whole journey that has brought them to this point. Perhaps if we had access to the whole story we would be moved from judgement to compassion. Or perhaps not. In either case, judgement keeps us harmful cycles of envy and condemnation and away from the freedom of mercy and love. In this way, when we judge others, we are also harming ourselves.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Who is someone that I have judged? Why did I judge them?
How has judging others impacted my own life and wellbeing?
Prayer:
Talk to God about those you have judged. Confess the times when you have judged others and pray to God for those people. Also pray that God would soften your heart to choose compassion, mercy and love rather than envy, condemnation and judgement.
These devotions have been adapted from “Lenten Healing: 40 Days to Set You Free from Sin” by Ken Kniepmann.
