Who Are You to Judge Me?

That’s a popular question. It parallels “Who are you to disagree with me?”

Though there are many ways to do it wrong, there are correct ways to pass judgement on others’ behavior and values. Some wrong ways include judging someone through a lens of jealousy or fear or pride. Some people hate other people because they have better clothes or cars or friends. Others hate some people who have lower quality clothes or cars or friends. Better jobs; higher pay; attention from someone whose attention we are desiring…

We judge whether someone is worthy to own certain valuables or to have certain opinions. Judging someone’s favorite music or clothing choices is usually not a spiritual judgment made in righteousness. Judgment that has a final step of pronouncing condemnation is rarely appropriate.

Judgment that protects victims or sets victims free from sin in the forms of addictions or assaults or bitterness is likely to be a benefit. In our society, we pay people to make judgments in matters we take to law enforcement agencies or courts.

“Do not judge, or you will be judged.” Matthew recorded Jesus as having said that in what we call chapter 7 of his writings. That seems to support “Who are you to judge me?” That isn’t the end of what Jesus said, though:
“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
(Matthew 7:1-5 HCSB ©®)
The rest of the story sounds like, “Don’t judge in some way that you wouldn’t want to be judged, and don’t do it without the influence of righteousness.”

Jesus instructed an ekklesia to be gathered to judge behavior of believers who didn’t take the good advice of friends who had judged their behavior (Matthew 18:15-17). Paul added instruction that if the Corinthians submitted their arguments to unbelievers to judge them instead of taking them before an ekklesia of the saints, they should be ashamed (1 Corinthians 6:1-8).

We are responsible for making righteous judgments. Don’t fail to show up. Don’t mess up when you show up.