One of the hardest but most important parts of judging Jesus’ way is to judge yourself before you judge anyone else. Jesus taught, “First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). First judge your own sin with an open Bible. Then use the same Bible to judge theirs. There is a time and a place to judge another’s behavior, but it should never be the first thing on your agenda.
Humility is essential for unity, but it is rare in our day. Think of the most popular podcasts, news anchors, and influencers. Do they follow Jesus’ advice? Do they start their episodes with personal confessions and humble apologies? Or do they jump right to judging “those people” for their latest transgression? But as satisfying as it might feel to pounce on others’ ugly behavior, guess what those “others” are doing right back? Pouncing on you!
Jesus knows a better way. Come to him with your finger-pointing addiction. He is full of grace and mercy and will point his finger to the cross, where he bled for such sins. Then, gently, he will teach you to judge a different way, a better way, a way that starts with humility and confession.
