James 2:10 – 13 “Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
Judging is a very dangerous business! When we begin to judge others, we are like a man who stretches a tightrope over a burning building and then begins to try to walk across it. As the man gets further out on the tightrope, the heat from the flames causes the rope to wave up and down. If the flames get close enough to the rope, the rope might even burn through, dropping the man into the midst of the fire! When James wrote about adultery and murder, there might have been many who might have said, “But I have never committed adultery or murder.” But how many of us have set ourselves up as critics? How many of us today are busy scrutinizing others and judging them? How many of us have actually committed little murders in our hearts, even if we have never picked up a deadly instrument?
When Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of God, he said to his disciples, “Do not judge, or you will be judged. For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1 – 2
A pithier version of this is simply “what goes around, comes around.” All of us mess up and make mistakes. There is not a single one of us who has not made major errors or who has not said things that we later regret. And when we make mistakes, we hope our friends and acquaintances will be merciful. But to receive mercy, we must first be willing to give it.
In Matthew 18 Jesus told a story about a fellow who had incurred a staggering amount of debt. When this man begged the ruler to whom he owed such a huge amount, the ruler graciously forgave the debt. But then this same man saw someone who owed him a small amount of money. Rather than copying the generosity this man had just received, he pursued his creditor. When the ruler learned of this man’s merciless treatment, he withdrew his forgiveness and put the man and his family into prison. That man’s children were to be punished for his debt, even though they had nothing to do with incurring it. If any other children were born to that family, they too would inherit that debt.
All of us want mercy! All of us need mercy! All of us have a sin – debt with which we were born. By ourselves, we cannot possibly pay our sin debt. We do not qualify for God’s mercy. But Jesus paid the blood price for our sins when he died on Calvary. If we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord and follow him, our sins will be forgiven. Our debt will be wiped out. But as we have received mercy, we must also give mercy to others. If we insist on continuing to judge others and to tear them apart, one day we might hear Jesus say these terrible words, “Depart from me, you evil – doers! I never knew you!”
PRAYER: Father God, help us! We start out our days with good intentions but very quickly descend into judging and condemning others. Lord, hear our prayer! Heal our hearts. Help us to always remember that it’s only because of your mercy that we continue to exist. Help us to be merciful to others and to be channels of your love and grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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