Recently, my friend asked, “What do you think is the biggest obstacle with your relationships with other women?” Immediately, one word came to my mind. I think it is judgement.
Matthew 7:1-3 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye.”
WE JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON…
How they dress
If they have debt
How they parent
What kind of car they drive
What kind of church they go to
What kinds of food they eat
What they do for work
When they have a quiet time
What version of the Bible they read
What kind of school their kids go to
On and on the list can go. A woman who demand feeds her baby is judged by another woman who feeds her baby on a schedule. A woman judges a friend who committed adultery when she herself fornicated herself with several men prior to marriage. A mother judges another mother at the park based on her parenting skills not knowing that her child has autism. A woman judges another on what kind of jeans she wears or how she does her hair. If she is dressed modestly and there is no biblical infraction, then what is the big deal? If I drink one Coke every day (which I do), my doctor doesn’t see anything wrong with it, and it is not biblically forbidden since all foods are clean (Mark 7:18-19, Romans 14:20), do you need to judge me on it? Do I judge you on your 5 cups of coffee?
Don’t get me wrong. We are called to admonish other Christians when they have fallen into sin. If a woman is dressed in an immodest way, we should speak the truth in love to her. If someone is going to a church which is not Bible-based, we are called to speak to that person. What I am talking about are non-biblical freedoms we have which we judge others on.
Can you just stop judging me on non-biblical issues, and I will do my best to stop judging you? Can you walk a mile in my shoes, and I will try to walk a mile in your shoes? Walking a mile in my shoes just might be a very eye opening journey.
And yet we spend the day
Throwing stones at one another
‘Cause I don’t think or wear my hair
The same way you do, mmm
Well, I may be common people
But I’m your brother
And when you strike out
And try to hurt me
It’s a-hurtin’ you, Lord have mercy
Walk a mile in my shoes
Walk a mile in my shoes
Hey, before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes
Mother Teresa said, “If you judge, you have no time to love.” Christ Himself loved us so much that He Himself took our judgement so that we can be blameless and washed white as snow. It is easy to point out other’s specks. It is humbling, humiliating, and hard to see our planks. Try to walk a mile in the shoes of the someone else today. You just might realize that you have no idea what someone else is dealing with.
