Judgment
In both Mt. and 7:31 and Lk 6:37 Jesus forbids us to judge. He emphasizes the point in Jn 8:16 and 9:39 by insisting us that judging is his exclusive responsibility. Do we pay attention to these imperatives?
Judgment. What does it REALLY mean? I believe it has three segments. Number one is evaluation, which we’re all called to do—we can read that "discernment" or "analysis." I decide whether something is productive or non-productive, worthy or unworthy, moral or immoral.
Then comes number two—figuring out what I should do about it. This is still in my purvue. I deduce what will be the result of the situation or action in question—for example, protecting me from danger, opening the door to happy events, or causing serious harm. It’s important to know which, and how I should respond with respect to my own life.
The third part, deciding what ought to happen to a third party, the "sentencing," is what I believe Jesus meant by his admonition. And that’s a slippery slope for me, a card-carrying member of Controllers Anonymous! If I don’t remember that some things are God’s job, and some are mine—confusing the two and forgetting to figure out which are which—I’m apt to precipitate more problems. My style of judging is inclined to extend into the third segment, getting mixed up in others’ business. That’s why, when I pray Reinhold Niehbuhr’s serenity prayer ["God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can *, and the wisdom to know the difference,"] I ALWAYS insert "and should" at the *. That’s messing with a sacred cow for some; for me it adds a critical admonition, since there are lots of things that I might change which I had jolly well better leave alone.
Judgment. What does it REALLY mean? I believe it has three segments. Number one is evaluation, which we’re all called to do—we can read that "discernment" or "analysis." I decide whether something is productive or non-productive, worthy or unworthy, moral or immoral.
Then comes number two—figuring out what I should do about it. This is still in my purvue. I deduce what will be the result of the situation or action in question—for example, protecting me from danger, opening the door to happy events, or causing serious harm. It’s important to know which, and how I should respond with respect to my own life.
The third part, deciding what ought to happen to a third party, the "sentencing," is what I believe Jesus meant by his admonition. And that’s a slippery slope for me, a card-carrying member of Controllers Anonymous! If I don’t remember that some things are God’s job, and some are mine—confusing the two and forgetting to figure out which are which—I’m apt to precipitate more problems. My style of judging is inclined to extend into the third segment, getting mixed up in others’ business. That’s why, when I pray Reinhold Niehbuhr’s serenity prayer ["God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can *, and the wisdom to know the difference,"] I ALWAYS insert "and should" at the *. That’s messing with a sacred cow for some; for me it adds a critical admonition, since there are lots of things that I might change which I had jolly well better leave alone.
posted by Bill Stecher at 10:43 AM
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