Daily Devotion | Judging our Neighbor - James 4:11-12

JUDGING OUR NEIGHBOR

“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” James 4:11-12 NLT

If we think about it – there’s a reason why people like going to see a therapist. They can present the issues they are facing in a non-judgmental, intelligent atmosphere to obtain the help that they need in order to grow, move forward, and/or heal. Many therapists today and psychotherapists even, take on a relational approach with their client in a “love your neighbor as yourself” manner. Unintentionally, recognizing the wisdom of God in how we treat one another for the betterment of well-being.

The wisdom of God heals.

Truly, the critical nature of society deteriorates the human mind – it depletes strength, can immobilize, and turns a focus inward. The individual overly criticized does not necessarily grow in self-awareness in order to make necessary changes in their life for their own well-being and for the sake of those around them; they actually become absorbed with self, due to the criticism often tearing down character.

Pride and arrogance are behind the critical nature in God’s people. A blind oblivion to self in the very act of fixating on others with a desire for power over them – to change them or to force them in a specific direction.

I personally love Matthew 7:1-2 where Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “Judge not lest you be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard of measurement you use in judging others will be the standard used to judge you.”

Many today are one sided, once again, blind to self while being very critical of others. And they have become more bold in doing so with social media. It’s the easy “hit and hide” because they are not face to face with the individual and do not have to deal with a face to face confrontation where they are judged in return.

The motive behind the critical nature is often selfish, and as we have learned in the book of James, God calls selfishness demonic. There is a demonic spirit behind the selfish act.

I love how James corrects the critical person’s false belief regarding their own authority over the one they are criticizing – as he says, “What right do you think you have to focus on your neighbor to judge and assess them?” James is very blunt here and his blunt nature is needed. It’s a righting reflex for the mind. The individual is focused on people desiring authority, while not focused on Jesus submitted unto His authority.

James is pretty much stating, “Give a defense for your authority. Because let me remind you, God is our authority and ultimate Judge. He created the law and your criticism is actually judging His command to love your neighbor as yourself. You’re not in a position to judge the law, but to simply obey it without questioning.”

Today, do you find yourselves struggling with a critical nature? If so, what do you need to do to actively love your neighbor as yourselves?

Or, maybe you find yourselves on the receiving end of someone who is overly critical and you have experienced the depleting nature of the judgment. The best step to take is to establish boundaries between yourself and this person, as those boundaries reinforce the 10 commandments stating they are to be lived out, and you need to lovingly and tactfully share with them that they are always criticizing you – because the truth is, they might not even realize how their every statement to you is criticism with a glass half empty mindset that’s pessimistic.

Everyone needs constructive criticism now and again, as the Bible states in Proverbs 15:32, this is one avenue where people can grow in understanding. However, someone targeting you with judgment, needs to understand you have the right to use the same standard to judge them in return.