My Devotion
My Heart
It’s YOUR Kindness
Teresa Jenkins
Your, therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:1-4
It appears that the culture we are living in is becoming more and more judgmental. The national focus is on if you don’t agree with someone you’re judged as a bigot, a racist, and even more radical is a homophobe. This is understandable behavior of those without Christ, but for those of us who claim Christ as our Lord and Savior it is ultimately forbidden. Jesus said in reference to Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Luke 6:37 says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
Paul states it clearly that we as mere human beings do not have the capacity of understanding to pass any kind of impartial judgment and that if we do we too will be judged and I believe even more severely. Yet we judge every single day. When we voice our opinion of someone, when we look “down our nose” at someone who is “different” than we are, and especially when we have been wronged, abused, or hurt by someone. I believe judging is a huge part of our sinful nature and one that goes unchecked, unconfessed, and unchanged. God tells us to discern what is good or evil and to do good, to love our enemies and to treat those who mistreat us with kindness and love.
I have been under conviction for the act of judgment of my own. Jesus told His followers that the second greatest commandment is to love one another. He did not place specifics such as love others that are just like you, believe like you, look like you, dress like you, think like you, etc. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39
What if your neighbor is your enemy? To attempt to answer this question, let’s define two nouns, ‘neighbor’ and ‘enemy’. Is neighbor that person who lives next door? Literally the answer is yes, but neighbor is figuratively anyone you and I come in contact with, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, family, people you go to church with, even those people we pass on any given day that we may never see again. An enemy is a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. While enemies can become hostile pretty quickly for this thought process I want to focus on the ‘opposed’. As Christians we face opposition all around us. Jesus said that because of Him we will face opposition, we will face persecution. So why are we so surprised when it happens? What’s worse why are we so unprepared that we immediately go into combative judgmental mode instead of love and treating the opposition with kindness?
Unfortunately for some it takes a sin or opposition to hit close to home before we understand what Jesus taught us that the only way to lead others to the truth is with love and kindness. This will take patience, because love and kindness will be challenged by the behavior of the opposition. To tell someone off is an immediate reactive solution, it may make us feel good at the time, but it does not lead that opposition to Jesus. It’s an egotistical move that glorifies self not God. Jesus, throughout His life and death had one goal in which He met and that was to bring glory to God, by making a way for anyone to be reconciled to God.
I confess that I am consistently guilty of this sin of judgment and combative nature to prove my agenda, but when I look closely at the Word, such as Romans 2, I was not called to judge and am reminded that I will be judged for all my sin, now that I am a Christian, it will be the sins of my words and deeds, what I have done or not done for the cause of Christ. Because of Jesus I will not face the sin of death, but He will ask me what did I do for Him. Do I love with a pure heart? Do I give with a pure heart? Do I live a life in my attitude, actions, and thoughts that is pleasing to God the Father?
Matthew 7 goes on to say this about judging… “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3 This means we can’t judge or even help someone else until we first look at what we do and stop what we do wrong. Get the obstacle of whatever sin is in our own life out so that we can in love and empathy help others to do the same. Jesus is the only sinless man who ever lived. So why do we think just because we are “Christians” we have any right to judge others. Sin is sin and Christ died for all sin so that we might live.
Others will only come to that knowledge by how they see you and I live. Father, forgive me for my sin of arrogance and ignorance that has driven me to judgment. Let us walk in love and forgiveness with each other and especially to those who may oppose us. Help us remember that it is Your kindness manifested through us, the body of Christ, that leads to repentance.
In HIS Time
Teresa
