Me? Judge?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating.  By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”

And on Tuesday night, I sat and watched it.  A theatrical presentation.  A stage depiction of what Christ did for me.  “The Passion,” at Word of Life Church.  And they did a great job.  The Gospel in stage form.  So many people putting their effort into something they believed in.  All to bring Jesus to someone.  I especially loved the little lambs.  Baaaaaaa.

My eyes took it in, yet my heart had trouble.  Because so many times we encounter things like this and immediately judge what we see.  It’s human.  We feel that if we were in the same situation the real-life Bible characters were in, we would act different.  We watch or read or listen to what happened thousands of years ago yet feel we would be above their mistakes.  Above their failures.  We would see clearer.  Know better.  Act kinder.  Here’s just a few examples:

Really, Judas?  You’d sell out your friend and Rabbi for a mere 30 pieces of silver?  Seriously, Peter?  You’re so bold!  And you can’t even handle the pressure of a young girl identifying you as one of Christ’s disciples?

And my mind judges.

It’s easy to do. 

It’s a special thing at our home to sit and watch “The Chosen.”  I’m blown away as we watch visual representations of events in the Bible.  I’m a visual person who likes to learn visually.  I’m also a creative and artistic.  To see visually the beautiful ways that Jesus interacts with humanity is breathtaking.  All because of His love. 

We put “The Chosen” on and soak it in.

But again, my mind judges.  Hey Pharisee!  How dare you be so hypocritical!  Don’t you see He’s the Son of God?  How can you set yourself against someone so holy and true?  How can you be so blinded by your anger?  Your jealousy?  Don’t you see what He’s doing for the people?

Yet here I am, sitting on my sofa, judging with a remote in my hand.

And when I sat and watched “The Passion” at a local church, I couldn’t help but wonder.

What if I was a Roman soldier, standing at the cross to guard Him?  Seriously.  What would I be thinking?  Would I be one to hurl insults at this man who is condemned to death?  Or would I be the single soldier who stood by his feet, saw what happened, and proclaimed “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Or how about those that Jesus healed in scripture?  What if I was one of the ten lepers that Jesus saw on His travels to Jerusalem?  What if I cried with all my might, saying “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”  And what if He stopped to heal me?  Would I be one of those that ran off without thanks?  Or would I be the one falling on his face in thanks, being appreciative of the hand that healed me?

Or what if I was one that God allowed to do the miraculous?  What if I was Peter, and in faith, walked on the water?  When Jesus called, and I stepped out of the boat to walk to him, would I have stayed upright, unwavering in my faith?  I’d like to think so.  I’d like to think that if I saw what Peter saw I would have walked across the whole sea.  But would I have sunk like a stone as well? 

Or would I have never even got out of the boat?

We judge. 

Because we are human.

I sat and watched the play.  Musing what God was speaking to me. 

Could it be that we—as partakers of humanity in the year 2023—have been given a priceless gift?  Could it be that we have the unbelievable privilege of learning from what others have done?  Could it be, that instead of picking on that one person in scripture and saying, “I would have done that different,” we can stop, not judge, and learn a little bit?

Isn’t that the beauty?

I believe that Christ did what He did knowing full well what we needed.  He knows us.  He knows humanity.  His Word is living.  And He knows that we can learn a little bit from all the other people recorded in scripture. 

And swallowing my pride, I realize: there’s a little piece of Peter’s doubt still inside me.  One I need to work on.  One I can ask for help with.  One Christ can develop.

And if honest, there’s a little piece of Pharisee inside: one that views things hypocritically.  One I need to flush out of my system with the forgiveness Christ provides. 

If transparent, we all have moments when we’ve denied our Savior as well.  The rooster has crowed.  Christ has looked us in the eye.  Moments no different than the denial of Peter.

Or the betrayal of Judas.

The truth is painful.

But the wonderful news is that you and I have been given a gift.  Just as Bonhoeffer says, “love is illuminating.”  The love of God is so illuminating, is it not?  When we stop judging and look at ourselves, we see the grace Bonhoeffer speaks of, “the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”

And it is beautiful.

And it brings us to our knees.

And isn’t that what we remember today?  The greatest sacrifice of grace and mercy the world has ever seen?  The sinless lamb taking it all for you and I.  An act of love that neither you or I were there to ask for.  Yet we can partake of.

So, I challenge you today, friend.  Look inside.  On this great day of reflection, as Easter approaches, let’s set aside judgment.  Let’s reflect on His illumination in our lives.  Let’s take a moment today and let God’s light reveal things to us.  Reflect on Him today.  Perhaps you and I can learn today.  And become more like Him.  And be appreciative of Him.  And rejoice with Him.

Because Sunday is coming.

By Chuck Carr