I’ve heard it said that the most quoted verse in America today is Luke 6:37: “Judge not…” If that is the most quoted verse it represents a culture that despises being looked down on. Behind the veil it also reveals that we are also suspicious of accountability or opinions that come without any form of relationship or help. I get it… criticism and condemnation from people who don’t really care is nothing any of us goes around looking for. Its also uncalled for.
There is a larger problem for Christians when it comes to this topic of judging. The first is that the verse is misquoted and taken out of context. Its not that we are not supposed to judge – its just that judging has been defined how we most often see it: a critique or terse statement of disapproval made in a hurtful way with no desire to be a help or show love. That kind of judging is wrong. The second problem is that this is often how people view the church – sitting back “judging” people.
Jesus presents in the verses following that famous misquoted verse that we are to judge, meaning we are to realize right and wrong. But Jesus goes further than that, he provides a more delicate approach that must be included in order to execute judgment rightly and lovingly. Jesus calls us into a radically different way of life where we only judge people if we also offer a heart-filled helping hand to help – if not - its just plain hypocritical.
All too often judgment is hypocritical because it fails to provide a discerning and loving solution. Hypocrites are good at spotting specks in other people’s eyes and fail to see their own faults. They micro-analyze others and do zero introspection of themselves. This is something every Christ-follow must take a hard look at in their life.
We all are familiar with the famous line comedian Jeff Foxworthy uses: “You might be a redneck if…” I list a few of my favorites below, but after that I will share a few personally jarring thoughts for introspection that helped me seek God’s help in how I live and love and judge. I trust the first list makes you laugh and I pray the second list helps you look to the perfect law of liberty and run to Jesus for strength and wisdom to live differently as we grow together.
You might be a redneck if:
You regard Milk Duds as a dairy product
You have no idea how many pets you have
You claim your pets on your tax return
You know your friends by the sound of their muffler
Your wife has ever said – come move this transmission so I can take a bath
The 5th grade was the best 6 years of your life.
You might be a hypocrite:
If you find fault more often than you offer a hand
If you Love critique but never compliment
If you never seek forgiveness but are often offended
If you quote the Bible more than your read it
If you give advice but fail to help them follow through with it
If talk begins after they walk away instead of addressing it directly to them.
You can listen to the entire sermon on Jesus’ radical teaching at https://fbcalbion.com/sermons