So, I was reading on a site on the internet, as I was reading, I found myself judging someone who was posting. Then I finished reading the post and realized I was completely wrong in my first impression. I spent the day thinking about the post and my reactions to it. it just reminded me of the scripture in Luke 6:37 and I got a slightly better understanding of the importance of not judging. We shouldn't judge unless we understand all the circumstances and we can NEVER know all the circumstances.
1 Samuel 16:7 says that the Lord looks on our hearts. I think this is where we each fail. We don't know the motivations behind actions, the circumstances that led to choices. We can't accurately judge someone else's righteousness. Nephi was commanded to kill. Looked at from an outsider's perspective, the death of Laban would probably look like murder and therefore be a sin. Yet, when looked at in the proper context, had Nephi defied the commandment of the Lord and spared Laban's life, that would actually have been the sin.
I need to work harder on that whole "judge not" part.
I find this interesting to read after hearing a lesson on charity in church. The discussion then turned to a bit about how we exercise charity by not judging people and other ways we can exhibit charity. I was with my in-laws later who heard this lesson and they were talking about how the teacher had it all wrong, we have to judge, and I agree to an extent we do. I felt though from the lesson it was in the context of not judging improperly as we condone a person for their actions. Christ taught us to love the sinner and hate the sin. On the flip side, as I type this, I am passing a judgement. However, only the Lord and I know the intent of my heart and that is what it really boils down to I think.
ReplyDelete