A friend of mine had significant work-related stress for several years. As part of that, he worked early until late – including weekends, smoked a lot of cigarettes, and didn’t take good care of himself physically or emotionally. Then, once the storms of his job cleared, he embarked on his wellness improvement journey. This journey included exercise on a regular basis, weight loss, and he quit smoking cigarettes.
My friend then set and achieved a long-term goal to run a half-marathon. I was really proud of the progress he made and the results he had achieved.
After the race, we talked about how it went and the journey to where he is now. During the conversation, I asked “Did you celebrate with a cigarette?” I was half-joking, but then I was shocked when he responded by saying “Yes, I had one at the finish line.”
After all that hard work, why return to such a detrimental vice?
Around the time my friend shared his decision to quit-quitting smoking, I read Romans 14 about “judging others” and I was quickly reminded of my internal response to my friend. I definitely unfairly judged this person. Was I loving like Jesus or was I filled with sinful pride?
Romans 14 focuses on believers judging other believers. While the examples include Jewish vs. Gentile traditions, we can still be prone to unfairly judging others today, and therefore putting a wedge between ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as our Creator when we in seemingly harmless ways call to question:
- What someone wears to church (or anywhere).
- How or when they pray.
- Whether they drink achohol or smoke.
- How they parent or educate their children.
- What their worship style or tradition looks like.
The list can go on forever, so we need to pause and look to Jesus who was called a friend to sinners, he loved unconditionally, and in the end, he was the ultimate example of being unjustly judged. He was perfect and sin-free, yet he was sentenced to a brutal death on a cross, and he did this willingly as the most loving act in human history as a substitution for our sins.
From personal experience, I’ve learned that when I unfairly judge others, it often stems from a desire to feel better about myself. However, in the end, it only leaves me feeling more disappointed. We are all works in progress though, so let’s not beat ourselves up when we fail because we are loved and forgiven! Jesus didn’t define people by their shortcomings, he saw their value and their heart.
Who comes to mind today that needs your love instead of your judgment? Who around you has stumbled and could use a hand, a hug, a word of encouragement, or even an apology? Let’s choose to see people the way God sees them: His creation, deeply loved and cherished as His children.