Humility Rather than Judgment

1 Samuel 23; Psalms 31, 54; Matthew 7

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you…You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1, 2, 5

To judge someone is to place ourselves in a position of superiority over another in our thinking and to pronounce judgment upon them. However, humility recognizes that we all deserve God’s judgment and leaves others to God. We trust God, the just Judge, when he says, “It is mine to avenge, I will repay…” (Deuteronomy 32:35). In humility, we invite the Spirit of God to show us our fears, pride, anger, and other “planks” still stuck in our eyes. In humility, acknowledging our own sin, relationships are freed, and others are invited to also respond to God’s redeeming grace. If any relationships are stuck, we might need a new approach and the Spirit’s humility at a new level.

“Lord Jesus, you are my Lord, King, and Judge for your glory.”