The Standard You Use
How judgmental are you of others?
Verse of the Day
‘For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.’
Today’s Devotional
“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? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” (Matthew 7:1-6)
This is a section of scripture that most people, both believers and non-believers, are familiar with. It’s also a command that we have a hard time obeying. My experience is that it is very difficult to differentiate judgment, assessment, and discernment.
I watched a sermon by David Guzik about this passage, and he had some really helpful insight. He said:
We disobey this teaching of Jesus when we
-Think the worst of people.
-Speak to someone only about their faults.
-Judge an entire life by its worst moments.
-Judge what someone’s motives are.
-Judge others without considering what we would do in the same circumstances.
-Judge others without being mindful that we, too, will be judged.
We have a tendency to be more lenient on ourselves than we do on others when it comes to judgment. From enduringword.com: “According to the teaching of some rabbis in Jesus’ time, God had two measures that He used to judge people. One was a measure of justice and the other was a measure of mercy. Whichever measure you want God to use with you, you should use that same measure with others.”
Every single day that I live on this earth I need God’s love, mercy, and grace. I’m betting you do too. According to Jesus, if I need God’s love, mercy, and grace, then I need to be willing to extend love, mercy, and grace to others. I need the Holy Spirit’s help to discern how to actually practice this. I need holy guidance on how to treat people with respect and humility while clinging to God’s truth. Which takes me back to the first words of this sermon where Jesus tells me that I am blessed if I am poor in spirit and know how desperately I need Him. I can’t do any of this without Him.
Today I am asking God to show me where there is any judgment of others in my heart. I am asking the Spirit to help me to use the same measure with others that I want God to use with me. I am asking for help to see any “logs” in my own eye, and then asking for help to remove those. And I am asking for discernment and guidance in how I can obey this teaching of Jesus. I’m simply not smart enough or wise enough to obey this teaching without help.
“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17)
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard.” (John 16:13)
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How has the judgment of others harmed you?
What is Jesus teaching you today?
Write a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help you to obey this teaching of Jesus.