Judgment part 4
People think the Bible says a lot of things that it doesn't really say. "Cleanliness is next to Godliness," for example. And, furthermore, you can make the Bible say just about anything you want it to say. So many people wrote it over so many hundreds of years. And, like, thousands of years ago. Right? And that's without even getting started on all the different translations. And interpretations. I said all that to say this: People say, "The Bible says don't judge." Well... not really. It says, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). Which is not a hard and fast rule about judging. Because we judge things all day every day. It is actually a warning about HOW to judge. If all of your judgment is condemnation... if that's all you ever speak into the world... that's what your going to experience. And I'm NOT saying God will condemn you. He won't. But I heard a preacher say it like this, "If you cheat on your wife God won't punish you... but your wife probably will." There are natural consequences to our actions that don't have anything to do with God punishing us. Love is not in the punishing business. Which means God--who is love--is not in the punishing business. But you DO reap what you sow. One more time, with feeling, not from God... but from the natural consequences of your actions. If you're mean to people, people probably won't like you. That's not God's judgment, or punishment. That's just what happens. If you judge people (especially by appearance, or if you judge them harshly, or unfairly) that's probably what they'll do to you. But if you're kind, and gentle, and soft and sweet... people will probably be that way towards you. If you forgive people, when you inevitably mess up... chances are they might remember all that forgiveness you give... and forgive you. So, the point I'm trying to make is, don't stand on "don't judge." We ARE the judges of this earth. We are kings and priest empowered to rule and reign on this earth. So when you judge--all the time. Literally all day every day--just make sure you're doing it right. Don't judge according to appearance. Judge righteous judgment. Execute the judgment that has already been handed down. Let people know that God's judgment was NOT a death sentence. It was an eternal life sentence! It wasn't God killing His Son (Himself). Man did that. WE did that. It was God raising Him from the dead. And us in Him. So that we might know life. Because you judge according to what you know--or what you think you know. If all you know is bitterness and pain, that's what you'll use to judge everything. And that's no way to live. But if you know love, you will judge things according to love. You'll let people be who they are and love them anyway. You'll be able to live and let live. You won't need to condemn or control everything. You'll be able to let go and let God. You'll be able to help people instead of hurting them, because someone (God, probably working through the people in your life) will have helped you. That's what its all about, receiving and releasing the love of God that you've been given! That's the judgment we ought to make. God loves me, so I can love you!