October 29 – The Golden Rule

I had an experience last week that leads me to share a passage a scripture with you to remind all of us about what the Bible has to say about how we judge/measure/see things.

Whenever you’re in a unique environment, it seems more natural to measure of see things differently, because well, they are different.

Let me just kind of share in a nutshell what I’m talking about and then I will get to a few biblical and practical points that we should think about.

One Setting: Felt measured, judged, rejected.

Other Setting: Felt understood, appreciated and valued.

: It is funny how quickly one can discern that when you are paying attention.I.

[

…] This command refers to rash, censorious, and unjust judgment.

“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.” (Rom 2:1 NLT)

Luke (Luke 6:37) explains it in the sense of “condemning.”

The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. (Luk 6:7 NLT)

–

[With what judgment …]

. It expressed a truth; and Christ did not hesitate to adopt it as conveying his own sentiments. It refers no less to the way in which people will judge of us, than to the rule by which God will judge us.

Mark 4:24, “Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.” (Mar 4:24 NKJ)

; David and Saul –

. “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.”

– 3-4

There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

[And why beholdest thou the

…] A mote signifies any “light substance,” as dry chaff, or fine spires of grass or grain. It probably most usually signified the small “spiculae” or “beards” on a head of barley or wheat. It is thus placed in opposition to the word “beam.”

[

] The word used here signifies a large piece of squared timber. The one is an exceedingly small object, the other a large one. The meaning is, that “we are much more quick and acute to judge of small offences in others, than of much larger offences in ourselves.” Even a very “small” object in the eye of another we discern much more quickly than a much larger one in our own; a small fault in our neighbor we see much more readily than a large one in ourselves. This was also a proverb in frequent use among the Jews, and the same sentiment was common among the Greeks, and deserves to be expressed in every language.

: It would be like Tungus (the AM PM commercial guy telling us we have something stuck in our teeth!

–

[Thou hypocrite,

cast out …] Christ directs us to the proper way of forming an opinion of ethers, and of reproving and correcting them. By first amending our own faults, or casting the beam out of our eye, we can “consistently” advance to correct the faults of others. There will then be no hypocrisy in our conduct.

We shall also “see clearly” to do it. The beam, the thing that obscured our sight, will be removed, and we shall more clearly discern the “small” object that obscures the sight of our brother. The sentiment is, that the readiest way to judge of the imperfections of others is to be free from greater ones ourselves. This qualifies us for judging, makes us candid and consistent, and enables us to see things as they are, and to make proper allowances for frailty and imperfection.

– 12

[All things whatsoever …] This command has been usually called the “Saviour’s golden rule,” a name given to it on account of its great value.

.

Act not from selfishness or injustice, but put yourself in the place of the other, and ask what you would expect of him. This would make you impartial, candid, and just. It would destroy avarice, envy, treachery, unkindness, slander, theft, adultery, and murder. It has been well said that this law is what the balance-wheel is to machinery. It would prevent all irregularity of movement in the moral world, as that does in a steam-engine. It is easily applied, its justice is seen by all people, and all must acknowledge its force and value.

Why Shouldn’t we judge others?

In his little book Illustrations of Bible Truth, H. A. Ironside pointed out the folly of judging others. He related an incident in the life of a man called Bishop Potter.

“He was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came up to the purser’s desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person.

The purser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, ’It’s all right, bishop, I’ll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason!’“