‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged…’ (Matthew 7:1-5)
Even though we might immediately dismiss the idea as being ludicrous, as human beings we are all too often judgemental of others, even to the point where we might make instant judgements on people based on stereotypical assumptions. Here Jesus warns us against being judgemental, adding that the measure we use to judge others will be used against us all – which in itself should make us wary of any such judgements. However, there are three main reasons why we should avoid judging others.
First of all, as human beings it is almost impossible for us to be impartial in any judgement because all too often we are easily swayed by our instincts and initial reactions towards people – their thoughts, their beliefs and their actions.
Secondly, in any given situation there is an extremely high probability that we will never know all the facts, so how can we possibly judge someone when we are not fully aware of the situation or the circumstances they find themselves in at any given time.
Finally, and most importantly, as Jesus Himself alludes to in this parable, none of us – not one – is good enough to judge another person. Rather we should look to ourselves and our own actions first, and possibly ask ourselves – does my life show evidence of following my Lord – and if not look to that first before we judge others.