Matthew 7:1-6
Judging Others
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 then turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:15
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Matthew 15:21-28
Giving the Children's Bread to the Dogs
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
John 7:24
Judge Others Properly
24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.
Jesus teaches us not to judge...By the measure we judge, is how God will judge us...But I do not think He is telling us, to never judge others...He is teaching us an overarching lesson about meeting others and they are made in God's image...So let us try to think positive about them, before we think negatively about them...He is giving us a bigger lesson about the Kingdom of God...And when Jesus teaches us about judging, He is never arrogant even though in His very teaching...He is by what He is saying -judging us...And no matter how we discuss it, we are all sinners, so we have one sinner, trying to judge another sinner...Jesus knows this, of course, and that is why He wants and expects us to look at ourselves first when judging others...
In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus gives us a lesson and some different thoughts on judging...Later in Matthew, He tells us do not give the dogs what is sacred...And He tells us do not throw our pearls to pigs...In referring to false prophets, again in Matthew, He calls them wolves...Then when a Canaanite woman needs help from Him...He at first does not answer her, and then He refers to her as a dog...When Jesus calls these different groups and the woman names, such as, pigs, wolves, and dogs -He is making a judgment on them...
And when He tells us in John's Gospel to stop judging by mere appearance, and instead judge people correctly, we cannot ignore there are times, when we are to judge...But this gets complicated and it seems He is talking about man wanting to judge by our standards (on appearances, friendships, and family ties and such)...It is easier for us to tell others what is wrong and to help them with their problems and issues...And it is more difficult for us to judge others in our own world and those immediately around us...Jesus is (I think) talking about God's will, and judging others how His Father wants people judged...God is perfectly moral, and knows how to judge...So, it seems there is our judgment and God's Absolute Moral Judgment...We judge correctly when we use His will and His judgement...Jesus shows us for who we really are...We like to say things about others and correct others...We do not think like Jesus...When He did not answer the Canaanite woman, He was giving the people around the table, time to come up with their own thoughts about her...The listeners would have been thinking their own judgmental thoughts about her...
When He calls this Canaanite woman a dog, which was a term normally the Jews had for the Gentiles, He is not necessarily just calling her a dog to her face (although it seems He is indirectly calling her a dog)...The disciples and others are listening...The Canaanite woman is persistent...She is not slowed down at all about being called a dog...She tells her LORD, that even the dogs get the crumb's from their Master's table...Anything that comes from His table or Him is sacred and she understands this...
Jesus came to earth...He lived in Israel, and the nation of the Jewish people...But He comes for all people...The relationships we have with others in the world are important...There are no non-important people...When we personally judge others of any of another race is wrong, if we refuse and do not look at first ourselves -with the large plank we have hanging out of our own eye...How we think about others in this world has a dramatic impact on how others and the world get along...The world although made up of nations and countries, still are just individual people...What I think is fair for one in another country, must be fair for that individual in a different country...But it also must be fair and the same for me to...I cannot criticize you for doing something, that I personally do myself...Believers believe that God wrote in all men's hearts the knowledge of right and wrong...For instance, the abuse of little children is a globally moral and an Absolute Moral Law that God has given us...
We are made in God's image...And He is Absolutely Moral...Jesus judges correctly, and does so by following the will of His Father...Calling people names is judging them...But Jesus wants believers to stand up for Godly issues... Relationships with others and our LORD, can bring glory to God...When we judge correctly and do His will and things in His Name, we are judging correctly...When we follow the will of the Father and it brings glory to God, we judge correctly...The woman Jesus called a dog, was given a chance to show her strong faith, and be called a witness to God...She showed the glory and grace of God...A lesson to be learned is everyone is invited into God's Kingdom...We should all love one another...
C. S. Lewis said "There are no ordinary people...You have never talked to a mere mortal...Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat...But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors."...The people we will meet in heaven will be the people we have met on earth...God made each of them special...Judge each of theses extraordinary people as you would judge yourself...
God gives us a lifetime of experiences...And we meet many along the path of life...In our talks and meetings with them we are either helping them to get closer to God or further away from Him...As far as possible we are to try to live in peace with them...