Right Judgment, Right Heart

"Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly." 
John 7:24 (NIV)

Did you know you're actually blind in a small part of each eye? 

Where your optic nerve connects, there's a tiny blind spot that you never notice because your brain cleverly fills in the gap. Isn't it amazing that you can be blind to something without even realizing it? That's exactly how our judgment of others works too.

You have natural blind spots in your judgment. But Jesus teaches in today’s verse that you can judge correctly. "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly." (John 7:24, NIV) 

The word 'judgmental' is newer than you might think–it wasn't even in dictionaries until after 1970. For centuries before that, 'judgment' was actually seen as a positive quality. It's only recently that making judgments has become something negative.

But God’s Word instructs you to judge correctly. How do you do this? Jesus tells you: Look deeper than the surface. Just as you judge a tree by its fruit and not its leaves; a book by its contents and not its cover, judge people by their character, and not their appearance.

Remember these three words when you make judgments:

• Respect others' beliefs and opinions–as long as people are not harming others–even when they are different from yours. 
• Inspect according to God's Word–Inspect what other people say and how they act and consider God’s Word. 
• Correct with compassion and truth–In your judgment, look for redemption. When you see wrong, you can address it with both truth and grace. 

Practice discernment by staying grounded in God’s Word. And before confronting someone, check your motives. Jesus will help you overcome your blind spots and judge correctly. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word. I praise You for always treating me with truth and grace. Teach me, Holy Spirit, to stop judging by appearances and instead to see situations and people through Your eyes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.