The Judgmental Tongue {Day 20}

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue - What you say (and don't say) will improve your relationships by Deborah Smith Pegues

Day Twenty - The Judgmental Tongue

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged - Matthew 7:1-2

Judgmental people engage in a critical, fault-finding assessment of another person's behavior.  What is amazing is that they judge others by their actions but judge themselves by their intentions.  Of course, most of us tend to judge others from an autobiographical viewpoint.  If someone's behavior does not reflect a choice or decision we would have made, we judge it as wrong.

There are some people  who pass judgment on others based solely upon rumors they may have heard that may not have a modicum of truth.  Benjamin Franklin, one of America's Founding Fathers, said, "I will speak ill of no man, not even in the matter of truth, but rather excuse the faults I hear, and upon proper occasions, speak all the good I know of everybody.:  His philosophy follows the age-old parental advice:  "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

We must be careful how we discuss others.  Jesus was empathetic about His displeasure with judgmental folks.  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?  How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye,"  when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye - Matthew 7:3-5

Jesus based His judgment of people's behavior on nothing other than God's standard.  This is the only basis from which we can righteously judge.  We would do well to focus more on judging ourselves than hunting for specks in the matters of others. 

Pray for those whom you observe walking contrary to God's standards -- but avoid judgment.  If you have a genuine concern for someone and have earned the right to address his or her behavior, then do so in the spirit of love.  Remember that you earn the right by consistently demonstrating your care and support.

Today's Affirmation:

I do not judge other or I will be judged.  For in the same way that I judge, I will be judged.