Matthew 7 contains A LOT of wisdom for life—don’t judge, the golden rule, build your life on a solid foundation, and so much more! Wisdom is good; it teaches us how to live flourishing and abundant lives.
A lot of Jesus’ teachings in this chapter revolve around the idea of judgment—of others (Matthew 7:1-6), actions (verse 12), false prophets (verses 15-20), and even ourselves (verses 21-23). Judgment is a part of life (you want to know if you can trust the food you are eating, right?), but Jesus wants to make sure we are judging wisely and faithfully.
Jesus doesn’t do a lot of “name-calling,” so when he does, we should listen. In Matthew 7:5, Jesus calls those who judge others hypocrites. Contrary to popular belief, a hypocrite is not someone who is overly judgmental. It is actually someone who is under (in Greek, hypo) critical. Someone who is quick to judge others is often slow to reflect on their own actions.
Judgment can be a wall or a mirror. If our judgment only leads us to think less of others and divide the world into our own groups of good and evil, it is a wall. However, followers of Jesus are called to use faithful, holy judgment that acts as a mirror where, through the lens of grace, we can be honest about our sin and mistakes, allowing us to extend the same grace to others.
Reflection:
- In your life, has judgment acted more as a wall or a mirror?
- What is the role of God’s grace within our judgments of the world? Do we extend grace to ourselves? To others?