Judge Not, or Ye Shall Be Judged

"See that girl over there? I can't believe she's wearing that much makeup!" 
"Ew....that boy needs a haircut." 
"That girls need more modest clothing."
"Oh, she's a terrible person! I can't believe she calls herself a Christian!" 


If we're honest with ourselves, we know that we think these things. We may not say them out loud, but thoughts like the ones above do run through our heads.

This is something that I have been working on getting better at lately. I used to look at someone and give them a label before I even got a chance to know them.
I saw people and instantly thoughts that weren't true came into my head.

Truthfully, I thought that people who were different than me, were just plain annoying.

As I've been reading through my Bible and trying to get closer to Jesus, I have come across a few verses that have stood out to me.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as a man sees, for a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" 


As we strive to become better Christians, we are striving to become more like Christ himself. Which means, as hard as it may be for us, we need to not judge by what a person looks like on the outside, but rather on what's on the inside.

Truthfully, I have become good friends with quite a few people whom I didn't think I could ever get along with!

But see, God made everyone. You. Me. That random person from church you barely ever talk to.

Jesus makes it pretty clear that we should not be judging others in Matthew 7.

"Judge not, that you be not judged." (Matthew 7:1)

Okay, makes sense. If we don't want to be judged, why do we judge others?

Simple answer: Human nature.

Christian answer: Because we are sinners.

Matthew 7:4 says, "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own?" 


Ohhh boy. Jesus hit the nail on the head there, didn't He? We find it so, so, so much easier to judge others on their actions, when we should be judging ourselves on ours.

"For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged." (1 Corinthians 11:31)

If, instead of judging the person at school or church, or that we see at the store, anywhere!, we judged ourselves - our actions, what we were saying - we would soon realize that everyone sins and falls short of the glory of God.

We all make mistakes.

No one is perfect.

So today - and from now on - let's try not to look at what people look like on the outside. And let's try not to make a rash judgement. Get to know them or stop your thoughts all together!

I heard a saying the other day about not judging other people because we have no idea what problems they may be facing.

So true.

I'm including a video of Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath. This songs say, "give me your eyes for just one second, give me your eyes so I can see..."





Try seeing things through God's eyes. I know that it will make you (and me!) see the world better!

~Ashley

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