Why do we judge one another? And how does this impact the Body of Christ? Given the numerous scripture passages warning, imploring, and commanding us not to judge one another we must accept that judging another has a profound impact on the Body of Christ. Sacred Scripture, with its numerous verses on human judgement, reveals to us the importance of placing non-judgement on another is as important as forgiving another for pain inflicted. Yet, as a whole mankind finds forgiveness difficult, if not impossible to extend, while judgement leaves us with a sense of false power and righteousness. So why do we do it, why do we judge when God has made it clear that judgement is his alone?
Ironically, we judge out of fear. Before I go further into how fear causes us to judge, let’s reflect on the emotion of fear. God again tells us over and over in scripture to not fear for he is with us, he is close to us, he cares for us, he will sustain us and he even calls us to cast all our fears on him. Fear goes back to the Fall of mankind. As you can recall, immediately after eating of the fruit Adam and Eve hid when they heard God in the garden. Why did they hide? They hid from God because they were afraid and filled with shame. Fear is powerful and it can rip us away from our benevolent creator if we allow it to do so. Fear is a tool the Evil One uses against us – the liar who came to steal, kill, and destroy – the one who is in the world. Fear and shame are the first two means he used to separate mankind from God after he first persuaded Adam and Eve into sin – no wonder they hold so much power in our lives. Yet, Satan is powerless at the hands of God.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10
“Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4
Can fear serve a purpose in our life? Yes, fear can certainly be a positive in our lives. We need to have a healthy fear of God, we need to fear harm so we take the steps necessary to keep ourselves, our family and our brothers and sisters in Christ free from harm. However, we must remember that it is God who gave us the ability to fear so that we would remain safe and under his protection. Fear can play an important part in the unification and healing of the Body of Christ because it helps us survive and stand in awe of God.
As powerful as Godly fear can be in our lives we must call to mind that the Evil One cannot create anything. He must take what God has created and twist it for his own purposes – something he has done rather effectively with fear. As children of God we must reclaim fear as God’s property and not allow Satan to use it for his purpose in our lives. In order to do that I feel it is helpful to examine our lives to see where fear separates us from God.
When fear serves to do anything other than bring us closer to God, we have accepted a lie, a lie that leaves us vulnerable to further heartache and sin. At the root of many a sin you will find fear, fear that causes us to judge our brothers and sisters in Christ. So why do we choose to judge others and what are we afraid of? We are afraid of not belonging, we are afraid for our very survival.
At the core of who we are as human beings we crave community, fellowship, friendship, and family. We have a basic human need to belong. This makes perfect sense because we are created in the image of a communal God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So to judge another as less worthy of membership in our community goes against the very law of God. In the eyes of God we not only belong – it is a core law he has set into motion. We cannot go through this life alone, our walk with God demands community.
Even those who have deeply hurt you have a right to belong to the Body of Christ should they choose to accept Christ’ offer. Whatever their choices have been in their life that may have caused you pain they will stand before the judgement of God and God alone. Unfortunately, there are so many wounded people I this world due to trauma (especially childhood trauma) that many inflict pain on others without regard to the ramifications of human or Godly judgement.
“If you are judging people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa of Calcutta
When we respond to such woundedness with further injury of judgement we participate in the propagation of evil in the world – whether we are aware of it or not. When we judge we have believed a lie – a lie that another is not worthy of love, forgiveness and inclusion. Of course this is not to say that you must allow yourself to be a doormat or a victim. Remember, Jesus Christ came so that you could have life and have it to the fullest! However, each and every one of us is called into forgiveness, acceptance and love. Sometimes the best thing we can do for the one who has hurt us, the one we want to judge, is to pray for them and find a way for our heart to experience love for them. There is only one way this can be accomplished my friends – by uniting our pain, the pain that causes us to judge, with the wounds of Christ. We are called to carry our wounds with him so that he can fully heal them and bring us into his light– these wounds are part of our cross. And this my friends is how we participate in the healing of the Body of Christ.
I have obviously written quite a bit on our first reading today. This is not to take away from today’s Gospel where Mark beautifully reveals God’s intention for marriage and the pain of divorce. Having been married for 26 years, while not an authority on marriage, my husband and I have certainly figured a few things out. Our marriage is amazing. I want to leave you with a few thoughts to ponder here regarding judgement and marriage. Where would marriage be if parents did not judge the spouse their child chose? I have come to firmly believe that love flows from the top down so to speak – from parent to child and from in-law parent to in-law child. If the elder generation focused on their heart, on how they can love, accept, and nurture the younger generation how would this affect marriage? How would it affect children, grandchildren and great grandchildren? If spouses did not judge one another, but rather shared in each other’s wounds and burdens how would this affect the marriage, the family and the world? See judgement runs deep in the fabric of the world and it can be found as the source of significant pain and separation from God. However, when surrender our judgement to God it can become the impetus for boundless healing and unification with Christ.
We are better than worldly fear my friends, we are stronger then earthly judgement, we will overcome such fear and place it into the proper space in our hearts where it only serves to bring us closer to God – not further away. Let’s stop the crazy judgement and work on loving and forgiving others. We can do this with the One who is The Way, The Truth and The Life.
My book!
First, I want to say thank you to those of you who have shared heartfelt comments regarding my book with me. They warm my heart!!! My book is coming along beautifully – I am so excited to get this work out into the world! In it I am tying together the pain humanity experiences with the healing found in Sacred Scripture – which I affectionately call The Jesus Code. My anticipated publication date is this Fall.
Here is my title – let me know what you think!
You – Fully Alive!
Using the Jesus Code to transform the hidden, and not so hidden, blocks holding you back from living a life fully alive!
I love you Jesus!
Today’s Readings: James 5:9-12; Psalm 103; Mark 10:1-12
