ASSESSMENTS AND JUDGMENTS

Some of us may balk at the thought of our assessments being considered as forms of judgment, but it’s true. Whether we are comfortable with it or not, assessment is judgment and we should be able to learn to properly address that if we want to move forward and master the power of assessment.

Judging in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Jesus did say in John 7:24, “Stop judging only by what you see. Judge in the right way.” This implies that we can judge if we do it a certain way. And how do we do this in this certain way? Jesus said in another account,

“Do not judge other people. Then you will not be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others.

3 “You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. 4 How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? 5 You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)

This may seem like a mind-boggling and probably heretical idea to you, but we have been called to judge. Scripture even implores us to be wise and discerning. To discern is to be able to judge a person or a situation as it is. Certainly, the Lord wants us to properly analyze and judge all that is around us at all times. What is critical is that we figure out how to properly judge.

In this case, Jesus reminds us that to be able to be in a position to assess other people, we first must have clear ideas of ourselves and where we stand. First, we must know whether we are in the position to call someone out based on what we see in them or if we are in the position to speak out towards a certain situation. Consider whether it is your place or if you have the right to do so. It is possible that in your intent to assess everything around you, you forget to assess yourself.

Check out:  THE APPARENT EXPRESSION OF BELIEF

Experience the Power of Prophecy as a gift to open your mind to receive the Mind of Christ.