1-7-2019

Good Morning All,

               Matthew 7:1; ““Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.”

     This is one of the most often quoted or misquoted verses in the Bible.  Many people use this verse to excuse or divert concern about one’s actions or behavior.  Whenever our Bible study is looking at some of the Pauline epistles and Paul admonishes us to admonish one another; you be assured that someone will pull this verse out and try to play it like the ace of trump in a card game.  “Judge not and ye shall not be judged!” Yet, if you ask them to explain how this verse works for a Christian, most stumble and basically say “mind your own business.”  But that is not what this verse is about; this verse is about something far deeper.  This verse speaks to us to have a compassionate heart.

    Compassion is hard for us to accomplish.  We like to think we are compassionate but often we find limits.  Jesus’ compassion knew no limits; it never says, “that’s as far as I go; the rest is on you.”  Yet isn’t that what we say many times.  “I’ll help you this time but next time you are on your own.”  Is that really a compassionate response?  Compassion requires us to go the whole journey with someone.  We travel the whole way to where they are most weak, most vulnerable and most broken.  It is not a spontaneous or “quick-fix” decision.  It takes time; it takes patience but above all; it takes our heart to go on that journey with someone else.

    One of the biggest obstacle is that we are an instant nation.  Our television shows solve problems in an episode or two; our books in a few chapters; we even think a 30 second hot dog is taking forever to cook.  Yet suffering is never an instant event.  It may start with a totally out of the blue event but is does not end as quickly.  Those who suffer; suffer continually for a long time, maybe a lifetime.  Yet we want it over in a few episodes or a few chapters; it is time to move on.

    When our hearts are filled with judgements; our thoughts, our words, our actions, indeed our very hearts are influenced and altered by these judgements.  Those whom we consider lazy, or indifferent, or maybe we see them as obnoxious or just too different from us to care; this attitude, this self-created limit will shrivel our compassion and reduce our desire to reach out and bring hope.  

    Compassion really requires us to live the life with those who are suffering or battling.  Compassion requires time from us to enter in that suffering or battle and to bear some of the weight and to carry some of the burden and to encourage or build up.  Jesus spends our lifetime being compassionate to us.  He daily and richly forgives our sins and cleanses us from unrighteousness.  This forgiveness, this compassion should be our hallmark signature.  To love as Jesus loves us is our desire.  May the Lord who has begun this in you bring it to fullness and completion in his time.

Father of all mercy, give me a compassionate heart.  Break my heart when others are suffering; move me to come to them and join them so that they do not travel alone.  Send your Spirit to bring about peace and hope but above all, come Lord Jesus, come.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret