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To Judge or Not To Judge
Sep 04, 2020
A few weeks ago, as we began to listen the worship song that was part of our daily devotional, I heard the first few notes and in my mind said “I don’t like this - it’s not my kind of music”. To my surprise as the music continued and the lyrics started I realised that it’s one of my current favourite worship songs. It had been recorded by another artist who had put a slightly different emphasis on the tempo. I didn’t like that – it sounded to jazzy for me, but as we got further into the song, I realised that actually, I really enjoyed the way they had recorded the song.
At once I felt a conviction in my spirit that I had judged something before giving it a chance! Then God reminded me of somewhere we had been just the weekend before. We went for a walk around a lake, but the Himalayan Balsam was growing so tall and ferociously that there were only a very few spots from which we could enjoy the lake and all the bird activity on it.
According to the RHS website “Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a relative of the busy Lizzie, but reaches well over head height, and is a major weed problem, especially on riverbanks and waste land, but can also invade gardens. It grows rapidly and spreads quickly, smothering other vegetation as it goes.“
When I first saw the plant, in my little knowledge of plants, I assumed it to be a type of orchid. It looked just like one, and it is such a pretty flower. But then I used the plant identification app to discover it is in fact a weed, and a voracious one at that.
The RHS website continues “Himalayan balsam is a tall growing annual, 2-3m (6-10ft) in height. Between June and October, it produces clusters of purplish pink (or rarely white) helmet-shaped flowers. The flowers are followed by seed pods that open explosively when ripe. Each plant can produce up to 800 seeds. These are dispersed widely as the ripe seedpods shoot their seeds up to 7m (22ft) away.”
God tied my thoughts on my judging that song to these flowers (weeds) together by showing me so clearly about judgement and how it affects our lives.
I believe that a thought or observation can turn into a judgement simply by the attitude of our hearts. We may think something and will justify it by saying something like “I’m not criticising, I’m just making an observation but …. “. Usually that means we are judging! And that can stem from pride, anger, insecurities, jealousy - which prompts us to have a heart attitude of judgement.
And just like I thought those flowers were beautiful orchids, we can think that we are justified in making our ‘observations’, or ‘thoughts known’ because we believe that we are ‘helping to make things more beautiful’. But instead we are walking and thinking in judgement, and judgement can soon take over our lives, just like those weeds have taken over the edge of the lake.
Judgement is not healthy for us. It causes us so many problems. The Bible speaks about judgement and tells us that we condemn and judge ourselves when we do that to others but we cannot escape God’s judgement, even though we think that we can (Rom 2:1-3). The standards we use on others will be applied to ourselves, because we can’t see others past the judgement that we have passed on them, whether it be in thought or through words (Matt 7:1-5, Rom 14:3-4).
“None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.” - Charles Spurgeon
Just like the Himalayan Balsam, judgement spreads so quickly and before we know it, we have a huge problem. But we also start thinking that it is ok for us to have such an attitude – a lie straight from the devil. Get rid of judgement. Ask Holy Spirit to search you and reveal to you any areas of judgement, then deal with it quickly, before it spreads in your life.
Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) “23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 139:23-24 (TPT) “23God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
24See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—
the path that brings me back to you.”
God wants us to be sanctified and live holy lives. Judgement is one of the things we can so easily get entangled with, but it has to go. Again, the Bible shows us that we should be living in harmony with one another, being mindful of their worth, as we are mindful of our own. We shouldn’t overestimate ourselves, or consider ourselves to be wiser than others. We should never hold a grudge, criticise or blame and pass judgement on others, or want to repay evil with evil, nor should we become a stumbling block to others. We should do everything above reproach and live in peace and harmony with all (Rom 12:16-18, Rom 14:13).
1 Peter 3:10-12 (TPT) “10 For the Scriptures tell us: Whoever wants to embrace true life and find beauty in each day 11must stop speaking evil, hurtful words and never deceive in what they say. Always turn from what is wrong and cultivate what is good; eagerly pursue peace in every relationship, making it your prize. 12For the eyes of the Lord Yahweh rest upon the godly, and his heart responds to their prayers. But he turns his back on those who practice evil.”
I bless you to embrace life and find beauty in each day. I bless you to bless others by your words and deed, and to love them. I bless you to cultivate what is good, to pursue peace in every relationship. I bless you to live holy lives, becoming more and more like Jesus every day of your life.
Ephesians 4:26-32 (TPT) “26 But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day. 27 Don’t give the slanderous accuser, the Devil, an opportunity to manipulate you! 28 If any one of you has stolen from someone else, never do it again. Instead, be industrious, earning an honest living, and then you’ll have enough to bless those in need.
29 And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.
At once I felt a conviction in my spirit that I had judged something before giving it a chance! Then God reminded me of somewhere we had been just the weekend before. We went for a walk around a lake, but the Himalayan Balsam was growing so tall and ferociously that there were only a very few spots from which we could enjoy the lake and all the bird activity on it.
According to the RHS website “Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a relative of the busy Lizzie, but reaches well over head height, and is a major weed problem, especially on riverbanks and waste land, but can also invade gardens. It grows rapidly and spreads quickly, smothering other vegetation as it goes.“
When I first saw the plant, in my little knowledge of plants, I assumed it to be a type of orchid. It looked just like one, and it is such a pretty flower. But then I used the plant identification app to discover it is in fact a weed, and a voracious one at that.
The RHS website continues “Himalayan balsam is a tall growing annual, 2-3m (6-10ft) in height. Between June and October, it produces clusters of purplish pink (or rarely white) helmet-shaped flowers. The flowers are followed by seed pods that open explosively when ripe. Each plant can produce up to 800 seeds. These are dispersed widely as the ripe seedpods shoot their seeds up to 7m (22ft) away.”
God tied my thoughts on my judging that song to these flowers (weeds) together by showing me so clearly about judgement and how it affects our lives.
I believe that a thought or observation can turn into a judgement simply by the attitude of our hearts. We may think something and will justify it by saying something like “I’m not criticising, I’m just making an observation but …. “. Usually that means we are judging! And that can stem from pride, anger, insecurities, jealousy - which prompts us to have a heart attitude of judgement.
And just like I thought those flowers were beautiful orchids, we can think that we are justified in making our ‘observations’, or ‘thoughts known’ because we believe that we are ‘helping to make things more beautiful’. But instead we are walking and thinking in judgement, and judgement can soon take over our lives, just like those weeds have taken over the edge of the lake.
Judgement is not healthy for us. It causes us so many problems. The Bible speaks about judgement and tells us that we condemn and judge ourselves when we do that to others but we cannot escape God’s judgement, even though we think that we can (Rom 2:1-3). The standards we use on others will be applied to ourselves, because we can’t see others past the judgement that we have passed on them, whether it be in thought or through words (Matt 7:1-5, Rom 14:3-4).
“None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.” - Charles Spurgeon
Just like the Himalayan Balsam, judgement spreads so quickly and before we know it, we have a huge problem. But we also start thinking that it is ok for us to have such an attitude – a lie straight from the devil. Get rid of judgement. Ask Holy Spirit to search you and reveal to you any areas of judgement, then deal with it quickly, before it spreads in your life.
Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) “23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 139:23-24 (TPT) “23God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
24See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—
the path that brings me back to you.”
God wants us to be sanctified and live holy lives. Judgement is one of the things we can so easily get entangled with, but it has to go. Again, the Bible shows us that we should be living in harmony with one another, being mindful of their worth, as we are mindful of our own. We shouldn’t overestimate ourselves, or consider ourselves to be wiser than others. We should never hold a grudge, criticise or blame and pass judgement on others, or want to repay evil with evil, nor should we become a stumbling block to others. We should do everything above reproach and live in peace and harmony with all (Rom 12:16-18, Rom 14:13).
1 Peter 3:10-12 (TPT) “10 For the Scriptures tell us: Whoever wants to embrace true life and find beauty in each day 11must stop speaking evil, hurtful words and never deceive in what they say. Always turn from what is wrong and cultivate what is good; eagerly pursue peace in every relationship, making it your prize. 12For the eyes of the Lord Yahweh rest upon the godly, and his heart responds to their prayers. But he turns his back on those who practice evil.”
I bless you to embrace life and find beauty in each day. I bless you to bless others by your words and deed, and to love them. I bless you to cultivate what is good, to pursue peace in every relationship. I bless you to live holy lives, becoming more and more like Jesus every day of your life.
Ephesians 4:26-32 (TPT) “26 But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day. 27 Don’t give the slanderous accuser, the Devil, an opportunity to manipulate you! 28 If any one of you has stolen from someone else, never do it again. Instead, be industrious, earning an honest living, and then you’ll have enough to bless those in need.
29 And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.
30 The Holy Spirit of God has sealed you in Jesus Christ until you experience your full salvation. So never grieve the Spirit of God or take for granted his holy influence in your life. 31 Lay aside bitter words, temper tantrums, revenge, profanity, and insults. 32 But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love.”
Be blessed
Jean