When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:8-11
One of my favorite discussions about God involved my son. He had done something that was within his right but what most people would consider as questionable. In his youthful exuberance, he made the statement, “No one can judge me but God.” I responded quite simply, “Yes, that is true, but having made that decision, do you believe God would be pleased with your decision?” It opened the conversation to where I could ask how well he truly knew God. Additionally, it showed a clear vision on how one can avoid judgment by simply focusing on God and not on one’s own opinion.
The key to avoiding being judgmental is to separate ourselves from the situation and inserting God into it. We all have a sense of what is right within us. As Christians, we are given that sense through the Holy Spirit. Something says, “That does not ‘feel’ right.” This guides us in our walk of faith. However, I have to fight my own urge to project that onto others. I will watch someone doing something knowing it does not ‘feel’ right. My initial reaction is to pull them out and say to them, “That is wrong!” But if I trust God, then my goal shifts toward awakening the Holy Spirit within them and less about judging their actions. This does not say we should avoid saying something to someone who is living in sin. Instead, we are to guide them to find God’s light, and say, “Don’t trust what I say. Ask God yourself.”
Today’s verses reiterate that Jesus is not only without sin and righteous but also perfect in His judgment. Jesus said, “The father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22) If we trust in Christ as Lord, we can trust that the Holy Spirit will transform even the hardest of hearts and most sinful of sinners. This is how we avoid judgment. Where do you wrongfully judge? How can we focus on what God places on our heart instead of our own judgment to win others over? My prayer is that we remove judgment by inserting God. Amen.
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