Prelude
How about 3 confessions to start this list off, in no particular order:
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| Jumpin’ Jesus |
3) I’m not really sure that the title fits for this post…but to be honest my mind wasn’t liking anything I came up with…so this is what it is and what it will stay for now. Furthermore, I actually did an outline for this post (ekes…is my “J” side coming back in here?)…and have to forewarn you of two things:
1) I will be using some of that thing called the Bible and the scripture here…but I hope that – since we are dealing with judgement – you will not judge me, this post or the scripture I use…but keep an open mind as you read along with me.
2) Please, please know that I by NO means have the answers to this subject…but am writing this post in a response to the popularity of my first one as well as a way to share what I am doing to try to rid myself of this awful disease – judgmentalism! But I do pledge to do my best not to stand in judgement over you and how you decide to rid yourself of this disease…
INTRO
The more I seek not to judge, the more I find I am a judger. It is the sad but real truth. I could give lots of examples, but I don’t want to be here all day and neither do you. In that case, I will start with my latest example…for I also have to give some kudos to someone for this topic.
As my habit, since yes I am self acclaimed nerd/geek/etc., I have been listening to more and more sermons…especially since I had a lot of walking time in San Diego a bit ago. I had made it to a series entitled, “The Elephant in the Church,” which included topics that most young or even more wise (meaning age) pastors – at least from my experience – do not try to tackle in a room full of modern thinkers…or ever. The topics that hit home most for me were about Creation vs. Evolution, God sanctioned cruelty in the bible, and sexual orientation (links are all at the end…as where proper footnotes should be!).
I plan on talking more about these topics later…if the mood strikes – but I can’t give anything away here! Yet, the point of me bringing them up is this: I realized that I had preconceived ideas of what Scott would say in these sermons. I mean, I’ve heard all the arguments on these issues before – so I’d thought. I had gone thru BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), I have been faithful in church for 15+ years, I’ve read some books and had conversations with other Christians on these issues…and come to my conclusions. So, I found myself going into these sermons thinking once again, “What new information is Scotty really going to bring to the table here?”
Do you see what that attitude is though really? It is an attitude of judgement…of having my ideas set in stone in my heart, not being open to God having something else to say. Doing the very thing I had pledged just a few weeks earlier to try to rid myself of. In the end, if I keep my heart closed to the possibilities that I might have more to learn…I am the one to lose.
Furthermore, the one thing I have learned in listening to Scotty’s messages is that he is not the typical pastor who speaks from an authoritative stance like so many others. No, he is one that seeks truth – yet is open to being willing to say he doesn’t have all the answers; that he wants to start a conversation around these and other hard topics in life so we can all explore them together, to grow together and eventually to heal together. He is one that likes to think deeply about the scriptures, to research the culture and language of the day the Bible was written in…and then is able to bring the full picture to us in a completely different light than I have ever seen in the Church…and for this I have to give him kudos. It takes a lot of guts to talk about the issues he addresses…and I feel like God was saying to me before listening to these messages, “Give Scotty a chance…for he is a true servant of mine, with a true servants heart. With him I am well pleased. With him I am blessing the Church.”
Yet, I still found myself going into these messages with judgements about what he would say. These judgements, though, are really all about me.
WHY DO WE JUDGE?
I think there are many reasons why we judge. I know for me, my judgement comes from my past experiences…which have led me to write certain Life Commandments for myself. These Life commandments might have protected me at one time; but now, now they keep me in bondage – hindering my growth and – mostly unbeknownst to me – having me cast judgement on everyone I meet or talk with.
However, our personality types can also “help” us in the judging game – and is what I will focus on. Here are 2 types of people with two types of syndromes that really lead to the same path:
(from a message by Lindsay James – Resolutions: You can’t please everyone)
A) People Pleaser Syndrome (PPS)– those that look to do and be everything to everyone so that they can feel better about themselves. Perfect example I just found tonight FROM THE BIBLE…Peter. Seriously, go look it up. Galatians 2:11-13
1) Power & Control Syndrome (PCS)- use a myriad of different tactics in order to put a person “in their place”…so they can feel better about themselves. I think the Pharisees are a perfect example of this type of syndrome.
B2) Same Path: At the root of both of these syndromes, you see the “need to feel better about themselves.” To say it another way, they have to make judgements about others compared to themselves in order to make themselves feel better about who they see themselves to be. At both ends of the spectrum…both syndromes really just want to be noticed by others, to have others see that they have something of value, of worth to offer the world.
To me, this is all about the “Line of conformity” I spoke about once…conforming to the world’s view of who we should be. Conform to the ways of this world…and you will be popular, successful, wealthy, fulfilled, esteemed, _____ (fill in the blank).
WHOSE JOB IS IT TO JUDGE?
The more and more I have thought about judging and being a judge, the more I am horrified at the responsibility I have tried to take on myself. A judge has to be able to impartially listen to all the facts in any given case (not what we often do when we sit in the seat), has to be willing to assume the responsibility for his/her decision being the correct one – even if it is not. They have to often decide fines vs. scott-free, imprisonment vs. freedom, life vs. death. Is this a role I REALLY want to undertake? Am I really ready to put my life on the line to say I am right and you are wrong? That I have all the answers in life, and you do not?
Do you see what is really going on here? If I am willing to say all these things, to sit on the chair of the judge…then I am willing to say that I in fact know the very thoughts of God. That I know God so intimately that I can speak as his agent here on earth …and that the Holy Spirit – phew…well he isn’t really needed because I am here.
However, this flies in the face of what scripture says. Scripture says that God’s thoughts are NOT MY thoughts, and his ways are NOT MY ways. I am to trust in the Lord with all my heart and LEAN NOT ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. That His ways are so much higher than mine, that if I tried to pretend to know God that well…that essentially I am trying to be God. So why would there need to be a God if I can be God…?
In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus is talking to us about not judging others, for if we do judge others…the same measure, or report card if you will, we use on them…that same report card will be used on us. Furthermore, Jesus goes on to say that we ALL have junk in our eyes. We want our junk to look like only specks of junk. However, Jesus is saying that if we were truly honest with ourselves, if we truly sought to ruthlessly get rid of deception from our own eyes and hearts, that we will see WE are the BIGGER problem than our brother is. If I am the bigger problem than you are…and you over there looking at your brother is a bigger problem than your brother….and so forth…then can I or you or any of us really be the judge?
So if we are not to judge, then whose job is it to judge?
Get ready…for this is a picture of Jesus that I so love! Turning to John 8:1-11 we find the Pharisees (our PCS) bringing a woman into Jesus. Only problem is they have caught her in the “act” – and not with her own husband. They, the PCS, want Jesus to look at this woman and say, “See, we are better than her. We keep the rules and the laws. You have to condemn her…which will make us look so good, so worth it!”
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| Akaine’s Jesus |
Yet, this is not what Jesus does. Jesus doesn’t engage the PCS (rule #1 with this type)…he doesn’t ask for the woman’s testimony either. He simply, calmly responds after a while of them prodding him…referring them back to Matthew 7:2…telling them that the report card they wanted to use on this woman was fair – but first they would have to realize it was going to also be used on them. When they realized this, when they realized the plank in her eye was really a plank in each of their own eyes…they could do nothing but turn and walk away.
The amazing thing is…the amazing part of this story is that Jesus had every right to judge not only this lady – but also the Pharisees. He was fully God in the flesh…he was and is the only human to live without sin. Can you imagine? Never having a bad thought that crossed the line? Never getting angry in self-righteousness? Never hurting someone – unintentionally or intentionally? As hard for it is for me to imagine, this is a life he led…in all he did he honored God and the people he helped to create.
Jesus, being fully God, could have stoned them right then and there for their hardness of heart and for her adultery…yet he did not. He had compassion on them and on her. He extended all of them grace…
So I find myself left asking this question: If Jesus had every right to judge these people, yet did not act on that right….how can I ever, ever stand in judgement over someone else?!?!?!
SNEAK PEAK AT TOMORROW’S CONCLUSION
Join me back here tomorrow, or latest by Monday hopefully, as I explore more of what I am learning in this journey to free myself from judgmentalism. I will take a look at the law – the rules found in the Bible – and what I have learned about how to use them. Then I will conclude with some awesome tools I wish I could take credit for…but are really from the sermons I’ve been listening to. But tools are the key to implementing change…which of course leads you to Practice Joy!
FOOTNOTES
Elephant in the Church series
Resolutions: You Can’t Please Everyone – will have to go thru iTunes and get the podcast. You can do that at this link: iTunes Podcasts
