Some people who watch life from the sidelines 

rather than actively participate in it... have no 

concept of victory or defeat. Some people 

passively observe, but never participate in life; yet, 

they can be extremely judgmental, relentlessly 

critical, and condescending of other people's failures

 and/or shortcomings who strive for higher ideals.

 Some bystanders are quick to point out how another

 who has dared greatly stumbles and falls short, and 

how the person actively walking in their calling...

could have done better. Spectators are always ready 

to make a detailed list of other people's flaws and 

failures.

We must always resist the temptation to believe

 that we must or should measure up and be perfect.

Not  in this life.

Nothing in the Scriptures teaches us to expect

 such behavior from ourselves or others.

Nobody gets through life without making 

mistakes or doing something they're 

embarrassed about. We all look great in 

some areas but fall short in others. None 

of us are perfect... we all have flaws.

Some will criticize and judge in order to 

project things about themselves that they 

don't like on others.

The harsh, hyper-critical, demeaning, 

and sometimes relentless judgmental 

observers in life who gain nothing by 

criticizing the flaws of others can indeed 

challenge and improve us if we keep our 

emotions in check, decide what applies, 

learn from it, and let the rest go.

We can't control others, but we can benefit

 from putting in more effort to improve 

ourselves and letting harsh criticism roll

 off our backs like water off a duck's back.

When it comes to criticism and judgment,

 let us keep an open mind. May we realize 

that every situation can be an opportunity

 to learn and grow.

Jesus is calling us to not condemn people, to not pass 

final judgment and declare one unredeemable and 

guilty. It is incredibly important that we understand 

the context in which Jesus was speaking.

Jesus' command not to judge others may be

 the most widely quoted of His remarks, despite

 the fact that it is almost always quoted out of 

context. 

"Do not judge, or you will also 

be judged," 

Jesus said (Matthew 7:1). 

Many people use this quotation to silence their

 critics, completely misunderstanding Jesus'

 meaning to just be... 

"You don't have the right to 

tell me I'm wrong." 

In setting apart, Jesus' command to 

"Do not judge" 

appears to preclude all negative assessments. 

However, the passage is so much more than 

shutting down negative assessments.

God gives us discernment to help us make sense 

of things. In some cases, discernment is a spiritual 

gift (1 Corinthians 12:10) that some people possess.

It is also a skill that can be honed (Hebrews 5:14).

Some people will use incorrect theological language

 to support their approach to saintliness and go off

 the rails, dragging unsuspecting people along with

them.

If someone is speaking, claiming to be hearing from

God, and by all accounts many people find their 

message helpful, but intermingled in their teachings

 are tainted doctrinal errors, completely confusing,

 and a complete misrepresentation of the truth, that 

person is speaking in vain. 

When things don't seem clear, the bible is always 

a good place to start for discernment. It serves as 

the foundation for sound theology, shielding

 us from error and unorthodox opinions grounded

and/or articulated in helpful terms.

One of the more subtle gifts is discernment. 

Those who have it rarely speak up unless they

 feel safe doing so. Use the discernment God has 

given them with courage. They may believe that 

they are the only one who sees things the way you 

do.

 The pleasant aroma of clarity, however, can 

eliminate the clouds of confusion by sharing your 

insight.

The Bible's command not to judge others

 does not disqualify us from exercising 

discernment. "Do not give dogs what is sacred;

 do not throw your pearls to pigs," Jesus says 

immediately after saying, 

"Do not judge." 

Matthew 7:6

"Watch out for false prophets... By their fruit 

you will recognize them," He says later in the

 same sermon (verses 15-16). How can we tell 

who the "dogs," "pigs," and "false prophets" are 

unless we have the ability to make a judgment

 call on doctrines and actions? 

Jesus is essentially giving us permission to

 distinguish between right and wrong.

None of us enjoys harsh criticism, opinions, 

or hasty conclusions about ourselves that have

 not been thoroughly considered.

It's human nature to enjoy being right, but the 

truth is... we all need to be corrected from time

 to time.

Although we are naturally drawn to people who

 share our values, those who are open and honest 

with us, even if they disagree with us, can truly

 help us grow.

Those who genuinely care about us and want 

what is best for us will have the courage to point

 out our mistakes, unpleasant behavior, weaknesses, 

and flaws.

When we receive criticism, our goal should be 

to learn from it rather than to let our emotions

 close our minds. When we strive for excellence,

the little things matter. The key is to be proactive, 

not reactive.

Most people's automatic response and unconscious

 bias is to judge and criticize others. It explains

 why we do not perceive ourselves as being 

negative or harshly critical of others, despite the 

fact that we are. Our egos help protect us from 

our own sensitivities.

Let us be mindful of our own words, attitudes,

 and behaviors. Consider this idea seriously if 

we truly believe that judging and criticizing 

others is something we do not want to be 

known for.

Rather than criticizing others because they are 

different from us, we may be criticizing them

 because they are often, in many ways, very

 similar to us.

Pride and arrogance zealously brings attention to

another person’s shortcomings, while remaining 

forgetful to its own.

There are times when we should not listen to 

criticism, such as when it is based on falsehood

 or delivered in a way that is intended to destroy 

our sense of self-worth. 

We encourage people to deliver critiques

 in a way that is constructive and helpful.

There are two types of people in the world: 

destroyers and builders.

While offering nothing better, destroyers criticize, 

vilify, slander, belittle, and discredit the works and

 lives of others.

Builders contribute to... and improve the quality

of life for others.

Before God, our thoughts, words,

secret sins, and deeds are all open

books. There is nothing

 about us that God is unaware of.

God knows so much about us that there is 

nothing we can do or imagine that God isn't 

already aware of.

God knows everything and sees everything in 

our past, present, and future.

There is no place in the universe where we 

could be without God's presence.

Our just and righteous Judge is God.

God does not favor anyone.

It doesn't matter who we are or where we 

came from... God sees beneath the surface, 

and God's Judgment is always perfectly just!