I Judge

"Judge not, that you be not judged." 

Matthew 7:1 

Taken out of its context, this short verse is used to give permission to all kinds of sinful things, and to try and stop others from speaking against their sinful choices. People who don't respect the Bible throw this phrase back at people who want to live by it. It used to shut me up. It used to stump me. Yep. the Bible says don't judge! Therefore,  I shouldn't have an opinion. I should stay out of it.

But then I read the rest of the passage. 

"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."

Reading the rest of this passage got me to wondering, is Jesus really saying not to judge under any circumstances ever? What does the word "judge" mean? Could there be difference between the kind of "judging" that hurts people's feelings and the kind that Jesus did? 

This is Matthew 7:1-6 from the The Moral of the Story Laura Parnell Version

 (in other words, this is me repeating what I read in my own words.)

"Don't be critical of others and others will not be critical of you. Do unto other as you would have them do unto you. If you hold other people up to an unrealistic standard you will be held to the same unrealistic standard. Before you try to correct another person, make sure you're not doing the same thing. Don't be the pot calling the kettle black (that's being a hypocrite). And for goodness sakes, pick your battles. Don't waste your time trying to correct or help someone who will never listen to you anyway. They'll just turn on you and beat you down." 

To me, it sounds more like he was telling us to be both careful and kind with our evaluations of others, understanding that we will be evaluated the same way. It sounds like he was not warning so much against judging but against being judgmental. 

Let's check the dictionary. 

Judge  1. to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises

           2. to form an estimate or evaluation of; especially :  to form a negative opinion about

Judgmental tending to judge people too quickly and critically

It's possible to "judge" (to form an opinion) without actually being "judgemental" (hasty and overly critical). However, because the verb "judge" can also imply a negative attitude, it's also possible to be hasty and overly critical (judgmental) while forming opinions (judging). 

Opinions are a part of us. Everyone has them.,A person without opinions is unconscious. We have positive, negative, and neutral opinions. In order to form those opinions, we must judge. I have judged macaroni and cheese to be much better than lunch meat. I have judged my best friend and formed the opinion that she is of good character. I have judged in this, but have not sinned. However, if we take Jesus literally, saying that all judging is bad, I have sinned immensely. As have every single one of you. If we are operating under the false premise that all judging is bad, It would even be judgmental to accuse another person of being judgmental! How's that for the pot calling the kettle black?

As a Christians, we have some politically incorrect opinions, opinions that we can't allow to be silenced by fear of being seen as judgmental. We have a calling to preach the Gospel to every creature. He told us it wasn't going to be easy and they would probably hate us for it. We can't approve of things that our God calls sin. However, we also have instructions from our leader to be kind and careful. 

Hang in there.