To Judge or not to Judge that is the question????

I know Judgement is something that most people struggle with. Ive never meet one person who doesnt or has had a problem with judging others. This has come up alot lately in my life. Is there an appropriate time to judge people? If so when is it ok and when is it out of control?

Well I get most of my wisdom from the bible so it makes sense that we should look at what it has to say. One of the most famous verses on judging comes from Matthew 7:1-6 (ESV) 

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with judgment you pronouce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brothers eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to to your brother 'let me take the speck out of you eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, FIRST TAKE THE LOG OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY TO TAKE THE SPECK OUT OF YOUR OWN"

Now in the bible the last part is not caps lol. The reason I did it was to show that the verse doesnt say you can never judge people but more it is telling you to call in to question the MOTIVE behind your judgment, MOST times its for person gain, to make people feel small so we will feel better about our lives.

In my life I always notice sin in other peoples lives that I struggle or have struggled with... So im always tempted to say whew! Im not as bad as that person.. or Ive never taken it THAT far...BUT all sin is equal in Gods eyes and I wont be asked to give an account of someone elses life.. only my own... well that puts things in different perspective!

There is a second verse I would also like to touch on.. With that being said then who can we judge? , And by what standards! This verse comes from 1 Corinthians 5 the verse we are talking about is about a man who is sleeping with his mother in-law!! Everyone in the church was happy he was there.. no one was doing anything.. so Paul writes to them...

"9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since the you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immoratlity or greded, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? IS IT NOT THOSE INSIDE THE CHURCH WHOME YOU ARE TO JUDGE? GOD JUDGES THOSE OUTSIDE."

For some reason we in the church have this backwards... we like to judge those on the outside when really we should be looking inside the church. Those on the outside have NEVER commeted to the same moral standard as we have so how can we hold them to it?

Now when it comes to judging those inside its usually never welcomed with open arms. I just had an experience with someone I know.. I challenged the way that they acted and the things they said.. they still held to there inital reaction of unlove. This so saddens me... because if someone ever sees me acting without love or grace they are welcome to come and talk to me... in love lol.

Now its not like im perfect or coming from a place where people who I love and who love Jesus have not talked to me about my attitude its happened before and let me tell you its hard... but it makes not want to go there again because you dont want to ever have someone talk to you.

My point is that we should be holding our brothers and sisters in Christ to a higher standard.. we need to take those aside privatly and point the sin out.. ONCE we have our motives in line... and have prayed about it!!!!

Is there someone in your life who needs to hear the truth? Or maybe that person is you? Is there some undealt with sin in your life? Deal with it. Dont wait for someone to have to tell you!

Proverbs 27:6 says it well " Faithful are the wounds from a friend, profuse are the kisses from an enemy"