Matthew 7:1-6
Do Not Judge
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
A cornerstone of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, His instruction in Matthew 7:1-5 regarding judgment stands as a direct challenge to the human tendency for hypocrisy and uncharitable criticism..."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."...This isn't a blanket prohibition against all discernment—for we are called to identify Truth and error—but rather a powerful warning against condemning, self-righteous, or superficial judgment...Jesus vividly illustrates this with the image of the "speck of sawdust" in a brother's eye versus the "plank" in one's own, exposing the absurdity of attempting to correct others while being blinded by far greater personal failings...His call to "first take the plank out of your own eye" demands rigorous self-examination and humility before extending any form of critique, ensuring that any guidance offered is rooted in love and genuine concern, not hypocrisy or pride...In light of C.S. Lewis's observation that "Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is...A man who gives in to temptation...simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later and is not trying that hard to pray to God to help him resist," we see the profound connection...If we are quick to give in to our own temptations—whether it be impatience, pride, or indeed, the very temptation to judge—we never truly experience the profound struggle required to overcome them...This very failure to persist in fighting our own inner "planks" leaves us ill-equipped, and hypocritical, in assessing the "specks" in others' lives...
C.S. Lewis, with his characteristic incisiveness, delivers this truly profound and often counterintuitive insight: "A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means...This is an obvious lie...Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is...A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later...That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness...They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in."...
This powerful insight from Lewis resonates deeply when we consider the phenomenon of constant criticism from people who are especially critical and judgmental of others, particularly from those who seem to do this effortlessly, even gleefully, engaging in public condemnation...This is not looking at one's own plank stuck in their eye...Those who incessantly talk bad about others, especially in the news cycle, are indeed demonstrating a form of "giving in" as Lewis puts it...The urge to criticize, to find fault with others, to dissect and expose perceived flaws in others, can be a potent temptation...It often stems from a desire to feel superior, to keep or maintain or gain power, to assert one's own righteousness or intellect, or simply to indulge a visceral negative emotion...If someone succumbs to this impulse quickly and repeatedly, without much internal struggle, they fulfill Lewis's description: they are not truly experiencing the full force of the temptation to speak uncharitably, or the discipline required to hold one's tongue, or the empathy needed to understand another's perspective...They are, in a sense, living a "sheltered life" from the difficult, character-forming work of self-restraint and charitable judgment...
From this perspective, individuals who are constantly criticizing others, especially those who "think they know what they don't know," might indeed "know very little about badness" in the Lewisian sense...They don't know the true strength of the temptation to judge, because they haven't consistently resisted it...They don't know the humility required to admit their own blind spots or that they have only incomplete information...They don't know the Spiritual Discipline of suspending judgment, of giving others the benefit of the doubt, or of seeking to understand before condemning...They are indeed judging and do not understand forgiveness...Their frequent giving-in creates a habit, a comfortable default, that prevents them from engaging in the deeper moral combat against judgmentalism, arrogance, or uncharitable speech...This lack of resistance means they are "sheltered" from the profound personal growth that comes from overcoming such impulses...How can they ever love their enemies and pray for them?...
Biblically, this aligns perfectly with the numerous admonitions against hasty judgment and unbridled criticism...Jesus Himself warned, "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." (Matthew 7:1-2)...He asks why we look at the speck in our brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in our own (Matthew 7:3-5)...This directly implies that those who are quick to criticize often have a poor understanding of their own internal struggles and are therefore ill-equipped to truly discern the struggles of others...The Apostle Paul reminds us that we will all stand before God's judgment seat and should therefore not pass judgment on one another (Romans 14:10-13)...Love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is patient, love is kind...it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs...Love does not delight in evil and does not seek revenge, but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)...A life of constant criticism, particularly from a place of perceived superior knowledge, stands in stark contrast to this biblical call to Love, Humility, and self-examination...
Ultimately, Lewis's words serve as a powerful mirror for us to reflect on...For those of us quick to criticize and judge, they prompt a necessary and uncomfortable question: Are we truly fighting the good fight against the temptation to judge, or are we simply giving in, thereby remaining "sheltered" from the deeper understanding of both the power of sin and the profound strength found in resisting it...The constant, unbridled criticism seen in the news and public discourse, often fueled by incomplete information, conspiracy theories, and a lack of empathy, indeed suggests a surrender to temptation rather than a vigorous struggle against it...It highlights a failure to engage in the internal prayer and discipline that Lewis suggests is crucial for true moral understanding and character formation...It calls us instead to the arduous path of self-control, compassion, and humble discernment, allowing the Spirit to guide our words and thoughts rather than yielding to the immediate gratification of condemnation...