Mixed Messages?
Matt. 7:1-12
How do we live without judging?
Photo by Tom Chrostek on Unsplash
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is 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 neighbor’s eye. “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you. “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. - Matt. 7:1-12
On the one hand, Jesus says we shouldn’t judge one another. Should we leave all judging to God?
Then, he tells us not to cast pearls before swine, and not to give what is holy to the dogs. That sounds a bit judgmental, doesn’t it?
If we look around the globe, we see that Western societies have been trying to follow Jesus, even though most claim to be spiritual and not religious. No one would want to be declared Christian Nationalists, and yet they are seemingly following what Jesus said, by not judging or prosecuting people who do wrong.
That is not the type of judgment Jesus spoke against.
But we can interpret what Jesus said as being accepting of other people’s faults. Look at the log in your own eye before judging the fleck in the eyes of another.
This is good advice, but it doesn’t mean we should let people break the law, does it?
Those who come here looking to escape to a better life need to be treated with respect. And they should treat our people and laws with respect also.
Sticky point?
Jesus was teaching us how to live a more righteous life. Maybe we can follow his example and create a society that is more welcoming and supportive of those seeking a good life.
When we try to practice the golden rule, doing onto others as we would have them do onto us, we expect the others we respect to do the same back.
But we send mixed messages to the world.
Remember what Jesus said about pearls before swine. We need to be careful who we are dealing with, or we will be trampled.
Is that being unChristian?
More to come...