Judge Jesus’ WaySýnishorn

Judge Jesus’ Way (Part 2)

If you’re going to hold a strong opinion about something, make sure God agrees with you. One day the Pharisees said, “Jesus! Your friends don’t practice the rituals of our religion.” But Jesus snapped back, “You hypocrites! Your ‘teachings are merely human rules’ (Matthew 15:9). You judge my friends for not washing their hands the ‘right way,’ but your criticism isn’t based on what God says. It’s all about what you say!”

If you want to judge like Jesus, stick with God. Does God have an opinion that can be found in his Word? If so, read it, believe it, and judge according to it. If not, be flexible, gentle, and judgment averse. Start with God.

For example, think about going to church. Some people think we should dress in shorts, tennis shoes, and whatever shirt is on top of the pile because God loves us no matter how we look. Others think we should wear our “Sunday best” because God is a great King. Some Christians judge megachurches for being so big that people don’t really know each other. Other Christians judge small churches for being so small that people know everything about each other.

But what does God think about all that? Flip through your Bible, and you will find nothing. That means, if you want to judge like Jesus, take a deep breath, be humble with your personal preferences, and focus your attention on what God has revealed in His Word. Where else is Jesus calling you to calm down your judgments?