It amazes me how much we, in modern society today, harbour a spirit of bitterness and resentment against each other. We are constantly judging each other, sizing each other up and competing against one another. Because of this, our world is in a state of chaos and disrepair.
The judgements we make of others do not usually come from a spirit of love either, but one of hypocrisy. We are often guilty of breaking the very same laws or standards that we so readily accuse others of breaking. We are a selfish and self-righteous people.
We don’t seem to realize that judging others in a hypocritical spirit breeds a cycle of rebellion and satan is the author of rebellion. No one wants to take the advice of a hypocrite. People expect us to not just “talk the talk”, but also to “walk the walk.” There is always a practical side to what we profess and we must hold fast to our profession. True authority comes from living out the Word of God, just as Jesus did. That’s the reason everyone marveled at His authority. What gives us the right to judge others when even Jesus Christ, who was and is truly the Judge of the Universe, did not judge us until He had walked our human experience!
Let us not let hypocrisy corrupt our hearts like leprosy corrupts the body. Let us correct others in a spirit of love only, and not to make ourselves look better in comparison to them for God hates the proud and He will make them low. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and double standards in Matt 23:23, yet we are in danger of the same sin today. We already have one “accuser of the brethren.” We need more defenders of the brethren i.e. those who lift up the downtrodden and the weak instead of trampling on their dreams and hopes! Remember, justice and mercy do mix-they come together in the form of Jesus Christ.
Scriptures: Matt 7:1-5, 1 Cor 6:1-5, Matt 19:28, Ps 98:9, Ps 26:1, Rev 12: 10, Matt 23:23-28
