That's Not My Job

2/28/2021

We’ve got this sign near our coffee maker that says, “Don’t judge someone just because they sin differently than you.” Now, I’m not a coffee-house sign-guy but, when I saw that (in a coffee house) I knew it would be a good tool in our home. It not only calls out to our believing family and friends but, the unbelievers as well. There’s a lot of “judging” going on now. (I think this always went on.) There’s a lot of shouting down folks who don’t see things as you do, or they do. In all of that, this little coffee sign seems to point us in God’s direction.

Jesus said it first, in Matthew and Luke when he said don’t judge or you too will be judged - I’m paraphrasing here. He was talking about and to people who liked to look good on the outside. But, these people were telling others what they were doing or believing was wrong or sinful. By-the-way, it says in Romans that all have sinned. It often seems that as a Christian many want me to give my opinion of something so they can judge me for it, then shout me down. I usually don’t get too involved in those discussions and will “dance” my way out with a deflection of the topic. I know it’s not my job to judge others’ sins, I’ve read that in the Bible. My job is to lovingly point them to forgiveness, by believing in Jesus death as the judgement for our sins.

The verse in Luke is very interesting and I think has a line that really hits harder than the judging I see everywhere. It goes like this, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven,” - Luke 6:37. Interestingly, just before that it says to show mercy. But, if there is a thing as condemning someone, forgiving someone, who has the authority to do that? If we all sin, but shouldn’t judge and condemn, who does that? Who has the power to forgive my secret sins? We've all got them.

I had a conversation with someone who was not a believer but used Jesus’ quote about not judging to say that “everything goes.” I can live anyway I’d like and it’s OK. Well, that’s true, God gives you free will to live as you choose, and He simply says, you can choose “life,” or choose, “death.” The thing that struck me was that they used the quote out of the context that Jesus did to justify sin. I didn’t speak - just prayed.

God is very clear about what sin looks like and how He will take care of those who choose to stay sinning, and not turn away. That’s His job. The sins are listed in both testaments as is His judgement. I’ve read these, I highly suggest you do as well. Don’t ask someone to tell you - go to God’s word and read it yourself. It will strike you deeper than hearing it from someone you can blame for judging you when you start to get convicted. If you really want to know, you will chase after this answer. I can only point to the One who saved me. Ultimately, you will choose to be with God or not, in eternity - which is a pretty long time.

So, I’m not saying that a simple sign says it all but, our little coffee house sign - which I see daily - is a wonderful reminder for forgiveness, mercy, and kindness in a current situation where many of us judge, while all of us sin. I will quietly pray we choose life.