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To "judge others" in this context infers condemning them: You have decided something about that person that devalues them. You try to take some authority over him or her, according to your own convictions. If I am a judge in a court of law, then yes, I could judge a person according to that law. But spiritually, it doesn't work.

This kind of judging is not a basic principle of Christianity; Jesus didn't condemn people and neither should we. It's not the world of faith that I found as a curious teenager, either, when I visited a tiny, strange church of Bible-thumpers in my mountain town. My older brother had invited me; their peculiar display of religious fervor scared me to death at first. They also judged me a "hippie" (wrongly as I wasn't one) due to my looks and background. But I ignored the weirdness and just listened.

What I heard was not a message of hellfire and brimstone at its core, but of life and love. Upon these principles the Christian faith is based. Jesus based his life on it, and he died for it. He modeled for us what truly wise judgment is and how to walk in love, as tricky and confusing as it can be in our day.

Jesus made judgments constantly while he lived on earth - against sins like pride, greed, and lust; against the hypocrisy of his day, of right versus wrong, the actions or inaction of disciples, those of his audience; even the political situation of the day ("render to Caesar what is Caesar's" he said when asked about paying a tax).

When he did make a judgment, its purpose was not to condemn. "Neither do I condemn you," he said to an adulterous woman. His admonition after this to "go and sin no more." Yes, she had done wrong he acknowledged that. But his love and forgiveness brought her freedom and joy!

Jesus judged gently and with encouragement, to those truly seeking God. "We all have sinned...every one. No one is worthy." Love is the perfect foundation of Christianity. "Love one another...love and do not judge...love the Lord your God with all your heart." "The greatest of these is Love."

We all make judgments every day of our lives, whether we want to admit it or not. I have a belief system, as do you. Whether Christian, Pagan, Muslim, Jew or any other religious or non-religious system, it gives us the framework for deliberating and making decisions: this is judgment.

I've lost friends and made awful mistakes in judging people, either knowingly in some stupid self-righteousness, or out of ignorance. I've been hurt by judgments of both Christians and non-Christians; so have two of my children for believing "differently" than those around them. Even my ancestors were persecuted for a different faith and had to flee for their lives.

The lesson is still in progress as I try to accept folks as they are and learn from them; it doesn't make my faith any less valuable or true to do so. In fact, it seems to improve on it and add joy to my life. It adds to my diverse, wonderful group of friends.

As Christians learn to love, to listen and value every one they meet, they acknowledge the portion of God that He's given to everyone. They may not know it, but it's there. We can love them and nurture it, or judge them narrowly and stifle it.

I choose the first.

Learn more about this author, Barb Dyess.
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