Matthew 7:1-6 Judging Others

"Don't judge!" is a favorite quote I use when I don't want people evaluating or scrutinizing my life or that of people close to me. It is usually accompanied by: "God is the only judge." But the statement is not a teaching against discerning what is right and wrong. If we were to withhold our judgment in this life, we would live in anarchy (this may appeal to some people). It is a strong prohibition against what I will call improper judgment. 

Judgment calls for self-examination. It is improper for me to see someone else's fault and not my own. Jesus calls it hypocritical. Also, judgment should move me to help others. It is improper to pronounce final judgment and condemnation (that is God's prerogative) on anyone. My motivation and goal in evaluating or scrutinizing should be to help.

Here is the deal! To be able to help, I have to make sure I am in a position to help. Jesus used an exaggeration to state his point: I can't remove a speck from someone else's eye if I have a log in mine. Imagine trying to remove an eyelash from a friend's eye while having sand in my own eyes - it is impossible! I wouldn't be able to see a thing! I need to have clean eyes to examine and help someone else.

Judgment, scrutiny with the intent to help, must also know its limits. It is improper to go after people who don't want to be helped. Jesus used two images to make this point: giving what is holy to dogs and throwing pearls to pigs. Dogs and pigs, in those days, were scavengers; they fed on refuse. It was a waste to throw valuable things at them. Getting a speck out of an eye requires focus and concentration of both parties. It is hard to do while one is kicking, screaming, and trying to get away. 

Lord, help me be a true brother in the kingdom. May I withhold my judgments if I am not willing to deal with my own flaws. May my motivation in evaluating someone else's life be to help.  Prepare me to help other people when needed. Instruct me when to stop offering my help to those who don't want it.

Matthew 6:1-4 Giving to the Needy

"Beware" is a very strong imperative. It tells me there is a danger ahead that I must watch out for. It tells me that if I don't heed the warning I may suffer bad consequences. Who would wander into a property with a sign "Beware of dog" without checking out the dog first? At least, I would make sure the owner is present to control the dog or put it on a leash. I wouldn't feel safe otherwise. The sign warns me that there is a dog that might bite me.

When it comes to helping the needy, Jesus tells me that I must beware before opening that gate. Beware of doing so to be seen by others. The warning is against my motivation to help. What is my motivation when I help someone? To look good before other people so they would praise me and talk about how great I am? If I open the gate with that attitude, I will be in danger. I will be bitten by my selfish pride. A dog's bite is less harmful because when my pride bites, it bites like a snake injecting a venom that will kill me slowly but surely.

So, how can I avoid a bite from my pride? Jesus tells me that I must avoid making arrangements to parade my good deeds before others. I must make arrangements to ensure that it is secret. But Jesus goes further. He also gives me a new motivation for my good deeds: the reward of my Father. I must crave the reward of my Father more than the reward of people.

I must show off before my Father because I desire his reward above all other rewards.

I have been bitten a good number of times. Jesus has rescued me from every one when I confess my pride and ask for his forgiveness. Lord, give me a desire to crave my Father's reward more than any other reward when I perform good deeds. Help me to be compassionate towards those who are in need and seize the opportunities to exercise my righteousness before my Father. Help me to heed the warning to beware every time I set out to help someone.