The Daily Word

 

Today’s message is a bit different and perhaps something that we are all guilty of, but something we need to take to heart and avoid.

We try to make sense of life and particularly people and how they interact with us because otherwise life becomes a jumble. However, in that making sense, we all have a habit of attributing motives to the actions or words of other people, particularly those we know well. If we are not careful, that habit becomes ingrained and if we are feeling negative ourselves on that day, we may well attribute negative motives to actions.

Some people would like to call this ‘intuition’ but in reality, none of us know what is going on in someone else’s mind and we have no justification for forming any opinion of ‘why’ something was done or said, unless it was outright insulting or deliberately harmful.

Jesus generally encouraged us in His ministry to do and say things that would not be to the detriment of another, but rather for their benefit. But He also issued this warning, “Judge not, that YOU be not judged”. This is a serious statement with serious consequences. Unlike us, God CAN see the motives of our hearts, and He always judges righteously and behind that warning there are unforeseen but negative consequences for those who judge and attribute negative motives, even if we are saved! He also says “Judgement is mine and I will repay”, so let us leave judging to Him, it’s safer that way!

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church