<!-- wp:image {"id":99823} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://expound.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/do-not-judge-others-expound-quotables-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-99823"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The working definition of “judging” for the purposes of this
piece is “..to form a conclusion or opinion about
someone or something”.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Judging others is commonplace to humans. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Not one of us is immune to those unguarded moments that ambush and get the “better” of us when we interface with fellow mankind. Worse still, there are those of us who automatically form and cement low of opinions of other persons based on superficial differences such as dress, conduct, diet etc.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The biggest liability of judgementalism is that its ecosystem of small mindedness incapacitates the very mind to understand how and why it is fundamentally flawed.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The corrosive end goal of judgementalism, which is the
object the devil seeks, is that ultimately, we cease to view fellow humans as
Christ sees them. The burden of souls and spirit of Christ do not coexist with
the “us” versus “them” mindset. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>This is the same kind of mindset Jonah had. The sermon that Jonah preached was a paltry: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah 3:4  I learn that the phrase is even shorter in the original Hebrew perhaps just three (3) words or so.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>In that short phrase Jonah had the ice breaker, the intro,
the body, the conclusion and the alter call of the sermon. Talk about
nauseating and non-committal mediocrity! </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>In a nutshell, the sermon brings to the fore the fallacy of
a convoluted psyche Jonah had. He was preaching to people hoping they don’t
repent. Have you ever called someone with hope that they don’t answer? Translated:
You can’t labour earnestly for souls you have such a low opinion of. And this
is the struggle Jonah had.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The foul spirit of forming negative and uninformed opinions
about others is the outcome of the “judge” over estimating their importance and
esteeming themselves better than the “judged” in a convoluted paradigm of
comparative holiness. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Inherently, introspective illiteracy is the pathogen of the
disease Judgementalism. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Unless the “judge” begins to gravitate towards Christ, whose
light will illuminate and project the vanity of every self-glorying human
station and show it for what it truly is, filthy rags, there is little hope for
the religiously hell-bound soul. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Verse: “In the same way you judge others, you will be
judged. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your neighbor’s eye? First
take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your neighbor’s eye.” (Matthew 7:2-5)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Brain Bites</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:list -->
<ul><li>When was the last time you discovered that the opinion you
had formed about a certain person was totally wrong?</li><li>When last did you judge someone and class them negatively in
your mind, only to connect better with them later until they became your
friend?</li><li>Have you ever been judged or misunderstood? How did it feel?</li><li>How did you feel when you made a grave mistake and you were
forgiven?</li></ul>
<!-- /wp:list -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Don’t hesitate to share your comments below.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><em>“When you judge another, you do not define them, you
define yourself</em>.”&nbsp;Wayne Dyer</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->