"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. 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? 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? 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." Matthew 7:1-5
It's really hard to be around family sometimes, especially this time of year. Them still condemning me for the old me. Let it go people, I'm NEW. Family sure can be our worst critics sometimes, makes holidays really rough, but I'm gonna love on 'em anyway. Hmm, most of the stuff I'm being judged for isn't even true. If you don't accept me, don't think I'm gonna run home and cry a river, I'll give the rejection to Jesus and move on. I can live without you ... just fine.
Then there's all the fighting and bickering, people talking over each other, no one really caring to listen to anything but the sound of their own voice. Hurts to see family arguing and disrepecting each other, but I always ask God for grace to be around them and try to see all the family anyway - they are family after all.
Stop the disrepecting. Quit gossiping and judging, YOU don't have it all right, either. We don't need nobody pointing out our sins and judging us.
Sad to say, a lot of church folk criticize and find fault but then try to hid behind the Bible or their own personal so called righteousness. We try to dog others for what they're doing or not doing but then we forget about what we're doing behind closed doors at home.
Let he who's without sin cast the first stone. Baby, you need to sweep off your OWN porch first before trying to make others sweep theirs or you try to do it for them. Take a look at yourself before you criticize or have something to say about others.
It's funny how we so quickly see others faults and judge harshly, but either don't see our own shortcomings or ask others to excuse us like it's ok if we mess up and not them. We're actually usually guilty of the very faults that we try to accuse others of. That's why we recognize it so easily ... it's familiar to us.
We ALL need a heart change. And judging IS NOT going to change someone. If anything, it will cause them to withdraw and separate from the body of Christ even more. People feel bad enough as it is, they need love and support, that's what wins one out ... love.
The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
No matter what you've done, God still loves you and He's there for you even when you can't feel Him. We make things so difficult sometimes, just relax and let the Lord lead. Don't think that you have to do everything right, that you have to please God and everybody, to be loved and accepted. God loves you and accepts you JUST LIKE YOU ARE.
Mother Teresa once said, 'If you judge people, you have no time to love them.'
Keep loving on family members and friends. Treat each other with respect, the way that you would want to be treated. God is the repairer of the breach and will mend the relationships that we give to Him and entrust to Him.
Sweep off your own front porch FIRST .... before you try to sweep around others porch.
Father, help us to quit worrying about what people think. Help us to stop trying to please everybody else when YOU'RE the ONE that we need to please. Help us to just do the best we can. Forgive us for judging our brother instead of loving on them and walking beside them in their time of need. In Jesus’ name, amen.
see also: In Times of Weakness