Judge not...

It has been far too long since I blogged last. If thinkign about it was good enough I would have half a dozen entries in the time that has lapsed since I last wrote. Life has been pretty busy with friends and family staying a trip interstate and then of course we got rid of the internet which eliminates my late night blogging spells, which almost eliminates my blogging altogether! But where there is a will there is a way and I WILL!

I have been thinking a lot about the issue of judgement. Heck I know I am as guilty as Hezbollah when it comes to judging others. I am sure not that long ago I prayed something like asking God to humble me...It's funny how you can make judgements about people, which at the heart of it all really say 'I am better than you'. That's what judgement is isn't it? We think we have a right to judge because we are in fact 'better' than the person in question. If we didn't, we probably would keep quiet. But we think we are better and that gives us a right to poin the finger and criticise others on quite a range of issues- there really are no bounds to the ways we can judge another. We are a better cook, a better cleaner, a better wife, a better artist, more fit, more beautiful, skinnier! That reminds me of a funny admission a friend once made to me. She was (and still is) quite a slender thing and she secretly confessed that when faced with other women that she feels inferior too, or intimidated by she says to herself, 'well, I'm skinnier!' I thought that was quite hilarious, but also sad and true. That is what we do, we find something in ourself that we think is quite great and praise worthy and then go about comparing ourselves to others based on our best points. How foolish.

I do this. I have this smugness sometimes, its really quite ugly when I think about it. I sit in a lofty place of judgement and make comparisons, usually only in my head, but the end conclusion is ultimately 'I am better'. Why do I do it? I guess in the end it is because I don't really believe I am better, but I am afraid of what I am not, I am insecure not fully confident in who God has made me and so I find this need to compare and contrast myself to feel better about who I am.

God doesn't like this. In my request to be humbled this is the area in me which he began to target. People who I was quietly and confidently sure that 'I was better' than in numerous ways (how awful it sounds when typed in black and white!) were found to be, in actual fact the opposite. Assumptions I had made on unfair judgements and a lack of love were revealed to be quite false on my part. I realised that the people in question were exemplary in a number of areas where I was lacking. I found myself in a situation where I thought I would have 'a lot to offer them' that it was quite the other way around. I found myself learning and growing in a suprising way. It was humble pie for me and it actually tasted good!

I am learning to be more gracious to others, keen to see their best attributes, to encourage and lift them up. Not to look for areas that I am 'better' than. We all have strengths and weaknesses and we needn't be intimidated by those who have strengths where we are weak or to be in judgement of those who have weaknesses where we are strong. If we always compare our strengths to others weaknesses, of course we will always come out looking great in our own eyes. But that is hardly fair, it is a twisted view of reality. It is a log in our own eye as we try and pluck the speck of dust from another.

No area is more tempting to judge another on than the area of parenting. Don't do it. We see people in the shops with kids that are out of control and think 'man, they are wild! Get them under control!' But hello, maybe next week it will be you, out having a bad day. We all have bad days and hate to think people judge all of our parenting on one tantrum. Let's be merciful to each other. Mums, I am talking to you! In our insecurity of wanting to be great mums, it is easy to pick on those that are struggling, to compare and feel better. Love, pray and encourage those that are struggling, keep your tongue from sharing someone else' struggle or disgrace. If you see them battling- don't talk about it with someone else, pray! Do unto others as you want them to do unto you! This is basics for us that call Jesus Lord, this is one of the ways we can live it out. Hold back your judgement, remember 'the measure you use to judge others will be the measures used to judge you.' Keep your hearts, thoughts and tongue in check, only God knows the whole story, realise we only see a small part of others lives. God sees all, make his opinion the one you are valuing, not your own, not others. He is the ultimate judge, and his judgements are just. Praise God!