To Judge

DEVOTION
JAMES
TO JUDGE
James 4:11-12
11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you — who are you to judge your neighbor?
NIV
It is so easy to fall into this trap of seeing faults in other people while thinking I am ok. How in the world can I ever find fault with someone when I am plagued with so many of my own? When I do see another who is missing the mark, and speak about it, is that judging? What if I just speak to him or her about it and not anyone else? Is that still sitting in judgment of the law? Maybe it is the point of just thinking about their bad behavior is slander. I think I have to speak it and I think I have to speak it against him. I think it is true I should not even think it, for who am I to think about another when I have more than enough faults of my own. But in this case I also should not vocalize in any way regarding my brothers and sisters who are trying to live according to what they think is the right way. Jesus is the only one suitable to judge anybodies actions. I think the real harm in even seeing another’s failures is getting in the mindset of believer I do not have any, or at least I am not like that person, I am better than that. No, I have to always remember my own failures and my own shortcomings. I have to live with an understanding of the inability of all mankind to live completely free of sin. Not one person can ever be perfect including me and so how can I ever sit in judgment of another? I cannot, I must not, I will not. Now does that include things which are not sin, but just dumb or inconsiderate? Can I speak out about that kind of behavior or is that still judging? It not judging the law, just how someone does things which either upset me or I don’t do. I think that is not good either. It only gets me into thinking how good I am, when I am not. I may do things which could cause others to be upset with me or think they are not me, even though they should not. But if I am the cause of someone’s sin, than I must be more careful. I think this is a slippery slope. When I think someone is doing something which they should not, even when it is not sin, I still am judging them, in a sense, but I am also thinking more of myself than I should. I think I have to simply be willing to accept others, for who they are, love them no matter what, forgive them no questions asked or comments given and get so far away from judging them as I can.