“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
When we are first saved, we are like Lazarus coming out of the tomb – we still have our grave-clothes on. Our stinking, smelly rags that cover the fresh aroma of Christ. We have been made alive in Christ, and yet our outer appearance is that of a dead man. Immediately, we begin to change. Attitudes, likes and dislikes are moving in different directions, and we may not even be aware of them until we realize that we no longer do or say certain things, and begin to desire other things. As the “grave-clothes” are removed, we begin to look different as our changed nature becomes more apparent.
But there are some grave-clothes that just seem to stick with us for a very long time. In the culture of this age, in the United States of America, one of these is being critically judgmental. Oswald Chambers says in “My Utmost for His Highest” that this attitude makes it impossible to enter into communion with our Creator because of how hard it makes us and where it places us – as superior to others. It would appear that everyone wants to be right; and as we judge others, we fail to rightly judge ourselves.
The brain is interesting. When we develop patterns of thought, it creates real grooves in our brain that direct thought patterns. And we need to fight against that to create new grooves in our brain (transformation through the renewing of our mind by repeated exposure to the Word of God). The problem is, that like a scratched vinyl record (does anyone remember those?), the needle may stay in the same groove. We need to force the needle – the thought process- of our brain into a different area so that a new groove can be made.
When there is something in our lives that is deeply ingrained, it may seem impossible for us to change it. That is when we need to confess this to God, and ask Him to supernaturally address the issue. God generally does this in one of two ways:
- He supernaturally and instantaneously removes the desire from us
- Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! You are delivered! Now walk in that deliverance…
- He consistently and repeatedly puts us in situations where we can practice creating a new groove in our brain (a new pattern of thought and action) to replace the one we want expunged (He disciplines us).
- This is never fun. It is also why many seasoned Christians will warn younger Christians to give careful consideration to the consequences of praying for patience.
- Be careful what you pray for – you might just get it!
- If you ever pray for patience, you should expect that God will send the meanest, nastiest, angriest, rudest, most irritating, most ignorant, verbally violent, and socially unpalatable people into your life to help you to put on Christ (love) in the form of patience.
- Just because something is difficult doesn’t mean that we don’t need it or shouldn’t ask for it. Once we are disciplined, it will bring a great harvest of righteousness.
So let’s ask the question: are we critically judgmental of others?
A short prayer of preparation:
Father in Heaven, I thank You today for the love that You show me when You discipline me. Please do not discipline me in Your anger. You are able to rightly discern my innermost thoughts and motivations. Show me the true nature of what I am doing. Search my heart, Lord, and see if there is anything displeasing to You in it. Purge me from it, for my desire is to live this life in righteous obedience to You and Your Word. Give me strength to endure the trials necessary to sanctify my mind. Remove from me those desires and attitudes that in any way interfere with my walk with You. Guard me on all sides, and may Your righteousness show through me that others will be attracted to You. Bring glory to Your name, and help me to be humble when You shine. This I ask in the name of Your Most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Want more? Why not try A. B. Simpson or A. W. Tozer?
CHRIST ALLIANCE CHURCH 