GOD'S WORD DAILY

FEAR GOD: The Benefits, Part 6,
     WORD OF THE DAY: "JUDGE NOT"

Scripture reference: Matthew 7:1-5:

     "Judge not, that ye be not judged.

     For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged:
     and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured
     to you again.

     And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's
     eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

     Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the
     mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

     Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own
     eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote
     out of thy brother's eye."

We have heard the sayings," What goes around, comes around," and "You reap what you sow."
No one likes to be criticized, condemned or judged. Beware that you judge not, else you be
judged with the same judgment with which you judged others.

"Judge" = "properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially);
by implication, to try, condemn, punish: --avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine,
esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think."

We all fall short of God's glory. We all sin and need God's unconditional love, mercy and grace.

Human nature seems to ferret out others' weaknesses and sins, being blissfully ignorant of their
own. Sometimes when I read the Bible, I think, "So and so needs to hear that Word today!!!" And
then it may or may not dawn on me that I needed to hear that Word and apply it also, in a more
urgent sort of way! This is noticing a speck in my brother's eye but walking around with a post in my own!

Romans 2:1

     " Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou
     art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou
     condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

     But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to
     truth against them which commit such things.

     And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which
     do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape
     the judgment of God?

     Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
     forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the
     goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

God's goodness leads us to repentence. God's unconditional love draws us to Himself. His goodness
and mercy leads us to repent and turn our ways to His ways. May we remember to love like this also:
without judging others.

-Carol Kenreigh

c.Carol Kenreigh, 2001. All rights reserved.