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| Cue roll-your-neck & Wave finger back and forth |
The Dont-Judge-Me Card: A card that many Christians like to use when they are being corrected, disciplined or exhorted.
What did Jesus Say about This?
Jesus said, "Do not judge others or you will be judged" and "Take the log out of your own eyes first before you can think the twig out of someone else eyes"
You are absolutely right when you say that others cannot judge you because Jesus said so. He himself is the only Judge. He is the only One that knows you deeply enough to judge you fairly, correctly and appropriately. God made Him a Judge over all things.
Let's Bring it to the Here and Now (How it is relevant to you)
But at one point, if the person with the log in their eyes did the work of removing the log in their eyes...by submitting to God and surrendering their will through the pruning/purification process, dying to themselves (which in itself is a daily task). They were taught some things in their wilderness season, that could be a great value to the person with the plank in their eyes. The log has been removed and now they can see and they are better able to help you. The key word between judging and correction is the word 'help'. Judging has no root of helping you. Its only to prove a point, to feel superior, to feel like your right and they're wrong but nothing as far as helping the person.
Maybe This Can Help...
Its kind of like if Suzy have been down the road Ashley is going in now and Suzy know the outcome and the consequences of that road. Suzy calls Ashley out on it (obviously in a loving way but still getting the main point across). Suzy says, "Ashley I know you are young and you want to have fun but sleeping with Bobby who you are not married with and playing house is only going to hurt you at the end not help you. God loves you too much for you to waste your life on someone who is not willing to Sacrifice and commit to you".
Now Ashley is mad!!
Because that is her personal business because even though her and Suzy have been friends since they were both in diapers and are very much close she all of a sudden feels like Suzy has overstepped her role.
The Truth and Nothing But the Truth
Do you really want to know the real root of Ashley's anger?
1. She doesn't want to change, because change requires effort and a hard decision on her part that will affect her life. She doesnt know that its for the better yet because all she can see is what's she has now. Temporary-conditional love.
2. Another reason why Ashley is angry is because she's been found out, exposed. No one and I mean no one enjoy being exposed when something wrong is done on their part. Its not a good feeling. Unlike the Pharisees who brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus to stone her in John 8...the reason for exposure is not to kill you but to save you. Jesus, in the midst of this woman exposed fresh sin, forgave right then and there. Why? Because she was repentant. She realized she sinned not just against her body but against God. And she repented. A lot of us are not really repenting we're just really sorry. Sorry is just a sorry excuse to return back to the same sin. Repenting is a heart thing, its stems from a heart who is truly sorry and broken and God forgives and then (2 parts here->) you then turn and follow His ways from that point on! I'm not sure but the adulterous woman that was brought out on the square to be stone, was also at the end of Jesus' life following Him with the other women when all the disciples have deserted Him. She wasn't just sorry, she turned to God and follow His ways and stuck with Him!
3. And lastly, Ashley is mad because she thinks exposure demands an explanation, when truth is, God doesn't require an explanation. He already knows us and that we struggle with this little thing called "sinful nature". That's why Jesus died on the Cross so that we can come to Him freely. The law could not help our sinful nature, it only showed us how much we needed a Savior, a perfect Sacrifice--Jesus. The price has been paid already for your sins. What God does require is repentance (and a turned heart towards Him in order to HELP you).
Throw Away Your Card, It's a Trick
In the beginning, I said you can find your very own "Dont-Judge-Me Card" in the Complacent store, located in No Growth City. But do you want to know were that city is located?... Smack dab in the middle of Satan's kingdom. The kingdon of darkness. I know it looks and sounds like a cute metaphor story but this is real and I am serious. The devil is so real and he has many strategies against you.He hates you. If he can't touch you (which he can't if you are God's Child) he will try another way. He will give you something to use to self-destruct your own life and spiritual growth. To keep you bound and stuck he manipulates you to use this card and take offense to correction and spiritual discipline.
Thinking that you don't need spiritual leaders and authorities to speak truth into your life or slap you around a little bit when you want to act foolish and dumb is Satan's little sneaky way of stunting your growth in God's Kingdom. Because he knows once you start to take correction and discipline and making appropriate changes in your life and growing that he is in big trouble.
Throw It Away---Yield to God's Holy Spirit
When this card is offered to you its good for a lifetime but the day it expires is the day you submit and surrender your will to God and become teachable not only to the Holy Spirit but to the spiritual leaders and/or friends God has placed in your life to speak truth.
If You want to Be Set Free From This... Here's Some "Purposeful" Things To Do
1. You have to be repentant and if you are not repentant ask God to help you to see the wrong in whatever it is.
2. I say "throw away" the card, but it's not a physical card so do a prophetic act write "Don't Judge Me" on a piece of paper if you have ever used that excuse. Rip it, shred it, THROW IT AWAY. Show the enemy that you are serious about this and that he no longer has hold on you in that area.
3. Pray and start submitting to God. Ask God for directions on who are the people He has placed in your life to come up under and allow to discipline and correct you. Usually that is the Pastor(s) of the church you go to. It can also be your parent(s), it can be also be just your friends. (Don't think just because that's your homegirl/boy that God can't use them to correct you and bring discipline).
4. Start in Step 1 again. The devil will always come and test if what you decided on today is still in effect 2 weeks from now. He has no shame in his game so be ahead of him. Make up in your mind that whenever that thing rises up in you, to say "Nope, I threw that card away 2 weeks ago. I made a pact with God that I will not be offended if someone or my spiritual leaders correct me. Holy Spirit give me discernment in this situation if that person wants to help me or just bring me down. I will take to heart the words they spoke, I will bring it to God and let Him analyze the situation and He will show me what I need to change or do."
I know you can do it! God wants us to be set free!
*And lastly STAY in the Word, STAY in God's Presence. It's amazing what STAYING in Him can do to your entire life.
Be encouraged!
