no excuse

In business we talk a lot about core competencies, those things that we do best of all and better than most other people. I wonder if an honest American, or an honest Christian, wouldn’t acknowledge that judging other people is a core competency.

That’s a dangerous competency to have, in light of Romans 2:1: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.”

Dangerous, because none of us are in a position to judge. None of us has a clean slate. And, in a very real sense, we share the same weaknesses, because in the final analysis all sins are the same. All sins at their core are disrespect to God. All sins at their core involve us ignoring our call to enter into an ever-closer relationship with him.

But there’s more. Look at verse 4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

That’s what we do when we judge. We turn up our noses to the gifts of the Spirit, instead choosing to respond with the same kind of grace God showed us.

It’s obvious that we’re letting some worldly attitudes creep into our interactions with others. I do. I need to judge less and love more.