Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
This passage of scripture cautions us against the sin of judging the motives and actions of others, especially if all the facts are not known in the case in question. Now, it is imperative that we cultivate a balanced view of this particular injunction, for in our day, whenever sins against God are brought before the people, many individuals resort to this very same passage as proof that a preacher may be guilty of judging them, and for this reason it has now become a political lightening rod to speak up against the most heinous sins and crimes of the day, lest we be labeled as being judgmental or pharisaical.
This is not what the above passage is referring to, when Christ declares that we should not judge, because in His word we can find instance upon instance where specific sins of nations and individuals were called out by name, and furthermore, God has indeed directed His chosen servants to lift up their voice like a trumpet, and show the people their sins. Let's read:
Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Daniel 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him'.... "Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
A good example of what Jesus is referring to when He says "Judge not", is to be found in the experience of Hannah, who went up to the temple to pray unto God in the bitterness of her spirit, when, try as she might, she could not bear children. In days of old this was considered to be one of the most dreadful curses to fall upon women, and in anguish of spirit Hannah poured out her soul to God with much tears and supplications, to the point where her utterances were not distinguishable, and Eli, who was the high priest at the time, erroneously concluded that she had been drunk with excess of wine. Let's read:
1st Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
What is worthy of note, is that in rushing to judgment in Hannah's case, Eli had overlooked the much more grievous evils that his sons had been guilty of, and which he had signally failed in repressing, even though The Lord had warned him on several occasions of the iniquities that were being practiced right under his own roof. In the other verses associated with our passage for today, Christ admonishes us to first cast out the "Beam" that is in our own eye, so that we would be able to see the little mote in our brother's eye, and if this counsel had been adopted by the high priest, he would have been much less severe and judgmental of Hannah, who was not drunk or inebriated by any means.
In our interactions with others, whether they be Christians or not, let us therefore be very, very careful about rushing to conclusions about the motives and actions of others, for it is the will of God that His children breathe and exude the very atmosphere of heaven, for in so doing, we will be more prone to give a person the benefit of the doubt. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to be measured both in our speech and in the conclusions we draw about other people, and it is always better to leave the issue of motives and actions up to God, who sees and knows what we do not. Let's read:
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
May the Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!