There are few things easier to do in this life than judge others.
It’s as easy as breathing, eating, or walking.
It’s part of our nature.
Crafting opinions, lumping people together into stereotypes, and exalting ourselves over others is something humans are so skilled at doing—we do it with hardly a thought!
But there is a problem with this.
The more we judge, the more we cut ourselves off from the Spirit of God and the freedom he offers.
Consider the words of Henri Nouwen,
“We spend countless hours making up our minds about others. An unceasing exchange of opinions about people close by or far away keeps us distracted and allows us to ignore the truth that we ourselves are the first ones who need a change of heart and probably the only ones whose hears ce indeed can change.”
As we heap judgments on others they rarely change in the slightest. Rather, we’re the ones who change. With every passing judgment, we’re molded more into the image of this world—not the image of Jesus.
With every passing judgment, we fail to set others free. We simply stack heavier burdens on our own shoulders.
Freedom from judging
Thankfully, this isn’t where it ends.
There is a way out of our bondage to judgment by “claiming for ourselves that we are beloved daughters and sons of God” (Nouwen).
When we take the title of God’s children seriously, when we wrap this identity around our hearts, let it take our minds captive, and inform our actions in the world, it frees us from the need to judge our neighbors.
When we take our prodigal souls back home to God the Father and believe it when he says “you are always with me and all that I have is yours,” we’re set free (Luke 15:31-32).
When we trust that God is not lying when he says that nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:38-39), and that no one can bring a charge against one of his children (Romans 8:33), the bonds of our snap judgements are shattered.
We no longer need to judge others because we’re wrapped in the life and freedom of God’s embrace.
Remember this freedom you’ve been given the next time you’re tempted to judge.
Remember your identity as a child of God, that you’re home in the Father’s embrace, and be set free.