Romans 2:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things.
It is interesting that on the surface this is an argument against being judgemental, but when I think about it, it is also an excellent argument against blaming others, and at the same time an argument for forgiveness. When I blame someone else for a bad outcome, I am also judging them. And even if they are at fault, it is not my job to throw them under the bus, but to forgive. Even worse if I should be accepting the blame myself. I will need to watch myself closely for this, because I think it is a fairly easy trap to fall into.
Holy Lord, help me to be fair and honest when assessing responsibility. Help me to see when it is my job to simply forgive and move on. It is not always important to know "who is to blame." Create in me a clean heart, I pray. Amen
Becky, transforming
Romans 2:1
I can be very judgmental. I am often too quick to assess a person or a situation. But, I have learned to keep my judgements to myself and let time pass and often learn that I was wrong. Then, I am so glad I’ve learned to hold back.
Prayer: Gracious God, Thank you for this lesson I’ve learned over time. Now if I could stop judging altogether—help me Lord. Amen
Thursday March 21, 2024
Romans 2:1
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
This passage so reminds me of the golden rule. Although judging others is normal, and even somewhat helpful, it can also be troublesome. Judging others is a quick process, often based on superficial information. The comparison used to judge is more about me and my own strengths and weaknesses that has very little to do with the other person. Even though my judgement is an opinion, it is considered to be true. A judgment can be positive as well as negative. However, judgments…
Romans 2:1
It is amazing how much wisdom is in Scripture that remains completely relevant to life in the 21st century. This verse reminds me of something said a lot in Scouting circles, and likely elsewhere. “Remember when you point your finger at someone there are three fingers pointing back at you.” We can be awfully quick to criticize someone for something we may do ourselves. Pride is the root cause of and blinds us to all our other sins. Pausing to be more understanding than judgmental is never time wasted.
Prayer - Lord, I can be unfairly impatient with perceived shortcomings in others while my own shortcomings are legion. As Paul has written, I have no excuse. Grant me…