Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
Today’s Verse:
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. ~1 Corinthians 4:5
One of our oldest idioms is the title of this morning’s devotion. It is a reminder that what you see on the outside does not mean that the same is on the inside. Judging is when we form a strong opinion about someone else based on external appearance. In many cases, being judgmental reflects a narrow and bigoted conclusion without having all the facts.
There is the camouflage.
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?... Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye” (Matthew 7:3,5). Being judgmental is being easily irritated and quick to find fault with another person without regard to that same fault being present in your own life. It is a self-righteous attitude that is critical of another person. Jesus asked a piercing question when He asked, “Why are you irritated with the mote in your brother’s eye, but you have not considered the beam in your own eye?” Judgmental people are the epitome of hypocrisy. The judgmental person believes that he is the only one who has the right judgment on a matter or that he is the only spiritual person. The judgmental person looks down on other people and is critical to the extreme of others. Sadly, he is ignoring his own faults and sins.
There is the condemnation.
Being judgmental is a sin. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:1-2). A judgmental person will be judged by God according to the same narrow, bigoted, and self-righteous attitude that he is judging other people with. The law of sowing and reaping is applied to the sin of judging. You eventually reap what you sow. What goes around comes around. A judgmental hypocrite will be exposed as being deceitful and damaging. What a sobering thought!
There is the command.
“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” Avoid the tendency to be judgmental. The Lord is the Judge, and He will be the final say on all matters. Remember, there is always enough wrong and sin in all of us that we really have nothing to be judgmental of others about. Then, be careful in bringing yourself under the judgmental eye of someone looking to find fault. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6). Don’t let a judgmental person result in your downfall. You don’t need to answer your critics or respond to unfounded condemnation from others.
Don’t judge the book by its cover. There is always more to something than meets the eye. Ask God to give you a loving and gentle spirit to all men. Let your love be without dissimulation.
Have a blessed God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 37-39
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