Sunday, November 24, 2013

Rejecting and Accepting Judgment

When one says, "You can't judge me," the truth is that they aren't willing to accept their judgment. Or, at least, they say they are not accepting it. The anger heard so often in those disclaimers reminds me of  Shakespeare 's  famous words, "thou protesteth too much," suggesting that they really do accept the judgment, which is why they are so upset. 

The other side of not accepting another's judgment is the inward rejecting of one's right or ability to judge.  That inward resistance reflects an assessment of another's right or power to judge as well as your right and power to reject it. Listen to the apostle Paul's disclaimer, "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself" (1 Cor 4:3).

Paul didn't go around being offended by the judgments of others, he simply didn't care what they thought or had to say. He knew who he was and what he was about to a degree that the opinions of others had no real bearing on his life. That is with one notable exception. 

He cared very much what God thought. He accepted the judgment of God as right and good - as the only judgment that did matter and one that mattered always.  It is the one you and I should care about above and to the exclusion of all others. Again, the words of the apostle Paul ring clear, "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me" (1 Cor 4:4).

So, worrying about what others think or leaning on what you think are both a colossal waste of time and energy, in and of themselves. Taking into account what others say and reflecting on what you believe, however, have merit when corrected and/or adjusted by the Word of God.  God is the Judge - others are only counsel. 

Jus' Sayn. 

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