KEEP ON SERVING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER - Stop Judging!

Stop Judging!

Even if we do not slander anyone,we may have to make an earnest effort to avoid becoming judgmental.   Jesus condemned such a spirit when he said:  "Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged; and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you.  Why, then, do you look at the straw in your  brother's eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Allow me to exact the straw from your eye';  when, look! a rafter is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First extract the rafter from you own eye, and they you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your brother's eye."-Matthew 7:1-5.

We should not presume to offer to extract a mere "straw" from our brother's eye to help him when our own ability to render proper judgment is impaired by a figurative  "rafter." In fact, if we really appreciate how merciful God is, we will not be inclined to judge our spiritual brothers and sisters.  How could we possibly understand them as well as our heavenly Father does?  No wonder Jesus warned us to 'stop judging that we may not be judged'!  An honest appraisal of our own imperfection ought to hold us back from making judgments that God would consider unrighteous.

Next time: KEEP ON SERVING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER - Frail but Honorable

The Watchtower, 2002