JUDGE ME, BUT JUDGE ME RIGHT. 007

"Those who have not the peculiar trials to which another is subjected may flatter themselves that they are better than he. But place them in the furnace of trial, and they might not endure it nearly as well as the one they censure and misjudge. How little we can know of the heart anguish of another. How few understand another’s circumstances. Hence the difficulty of giving wise counsel. What may appear to us to be appropriate, may, in reality, be quite the reverse. {5T 55.1}"

A lot of times we say, “It’s easy to judge.” I actually disagree. In this don’t judge me culture, it becomes hard to hold ourselves and others accountable to a standard. There must be a standard by the way, without one, we have the book of judges (a book in the bible where there was no order at times and as a result there was total anarchy). As a result, we should judge, and judge righteously, but that’s the hard part. Judging isn’t easy, --condemning—is easy, while judging is hard.

Judging isn’t easy, it is hard, --condemning—is easy.

Yeah, someone may have sinned, but there are so many things to consider. What was their motive, what influenced them, were they framed, was it premeditated or impulsive, would it be done again if the opportunity arises, should this person be locked up for life with no chance of leaving or will there be change after constructive punishment? Judgment encompasses so much more that we are capable of seeing. When others do wrong, especially to us we purposefully ignore these things and only focus on the wrong. However, when we sin, sometimes these are the very same things we quote.

"Even facts may be so stated as to convey a false impression."

“Some have said: “It is true.” Admitting that the fact stated is true, does that justify your course? No, no. If God should take all the accusations that might in truth be brought against you and should braid them into a scourge to punish you, your wounds would be more and deeper than those which you have inflict on others. Even facts may be so stated as to convey a false impression. You have no right to gather up every report against people and use them to ruin reputations and destroy their usefulness. Should the Lord manifest toward you the same spirit which you have manifested toward your brother, you would be destroyed without mercy. Have you no compunctions of conscience? I fear not. The time has not yet come for this satanic spell to lose its power. If the people you condemn were all that you represent them to be, —which I know they are not, your course would still be unjustifiable. {5T 57.3}

I’m going to end this post here; Judge, but don’t condemn, and remember because judging encompasses more than you see, it’s harder than it looks.

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