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Temptation to Judge

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Luke 6:37

Even the most committed Christians may fall prey to a powerful yet subtle temptation: the temptation to judge others. But as a follower of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to refrain from such behavior.

Are you one of those people who find it easy to judge others? If so, it’s time to allow God to make some radical changes in the way you view the world and the people who inhabit it.

As Jesus came upon a young woman who had been condemned by the Pharisees, He spoke not only to the crowd that was gathered there, but also to all generations, when He warned, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7). Christ’s message is clear: because we are all sinners, we are commanded to refrain from judging others. Yet the irony is this: it is precisely because we are sinners that we are so quick to judge.

All of us have fallen short of God’s laws, and none of us, therefore, are qualified to “throw the first stone.” Thankfully, God has forgiven us, and we, too, must forgive others. Let us refrain, then, from judging our family members, our friends, and our loved ones. Instead, let us forgive them and love them in the same way that God has forgiven and loves us.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins and the sins of the world. Help me to keep mindful of your forgiveness and not to be quick to judge others. Empower me instead to forgive them as You have forgiven me and to love them as You love me. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen