Mercy Over Judgment (#OneMinuteMondays)

How opinionated are you?
Do you ever guess someone else’s motives?
Do you ever look at someone else and assume you know about his or her walk with Christ?
How do you view other people?
Do you judge others?
When looking at someone else, how would you describe your spirit?

Jesus speaks directly to each one of us regarding how we think and view other people. Jesus teaches us to use mercy over judgment.

Mercy Over Judgment

Jesus warns His followers related to our attitude toward others. Jesus specifically directs His followers to look at others with mercy over judgment. Notice what Jesus says:

³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

³⁷ “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

³⁹ And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? ⁴⁰ A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. ⁴¹ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? ⁴² Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye. (Luke 6:36-42)

Notice how Jesus deals with the issue of our attitude toward another person. He begins by saying that we should be merciful. Merciful means that we treat others not as we believe they deserve. Our mercy – like Jesus’ mercy – flows out of our love.

Here, Jesus connects mercy with not judging, not condemning, forgiving, and being generous in our spirits toward others.

Catch this — when we think or view another person, our spirit toward that person reflects the love of Jesus Christ which is full of grace, full of generosity, does not judge, and does not condemn.

How Do You View Others?

Today and throughout this new week, do you view others with a generous heart, a forgiving heart, a spirit of understanding, and humility?

Jesus calls us a hypocrite if we look at others and treat those people in our heart harshly while missing that we too have similar hearts and struggles. With what measure we judge; God will choose the same for us.

Let’s commit together to choose mercy over judgment.

Image Credit Andre Hunter