Man judges based on
circumstances and actions and their interpretation of these but only God judges
the heart. Only God can truly decide who is innocent and who is guilty, that’s
the reason we’re told not to do it; it simply isn’t our job.
Luke 6:41
MKJV And why do you look at the splinter that is
in your brother's eye, but do not see the beam that is in your own eye?
For we see in part
but God knows the whole story; He sees each time the heart makes a selfish
decision long before the body is moved to action. How many times did Jesus
scold the Pharisees even though on the outside they had the appearance of
having everything in order? It was because He knew their hearts.
Matthew
23:27 MKJV Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful
outside, but inside they are full of dead men's
bones, and of all uncleanness.
There are those who
will agree with me and immediately think of a situation when they were judged
unfairly but are completely blind to the judging they are doing to others even
now and it would seem as if God Himself has hardened their hearts as Pharaoh’s
heart was hardened. For Pharaoh turned
from God so many times because the thought of one being higher than himself
repulsed him so much that finally it was no longer Pharaoh hardening his own
heart but God.
Exodus
8:32 MKJV And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time
also, neither would he let the people go.
Exodus
9:12 MKJV And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and
he did not listen to them, even as Jehovah had spoken to Moses.
God made an example
of Pharaoh not only to the nation of Israel but to any nation that would come
against God’s people, that all would be warned though these people make
mistakes they belong to God and God alone will judge them.
So the next time you
see someone do something that you do not approve of know this… You are not God,
nor do you know their circumstances. Yes there are absolutes and yes there are
consequences to be paid but what does that have to do with you? Are you the tip
of God’s sword cutting and slashing all who do not measure up? Do you take one
side over the other because you think you have some special insight not made available
to anyone else? Ask yourself this – where did your insight come from - God or
man? If it came from man be careful because you are in danger of being judged
yourself and if it came from God that means the Holy Spirit revealed it to you
and if that is the case it is because God trusts you. How are you handling the
trust that you have been given? Do you love that person the way Jesus does or
do you have stones in your hand? It matters not what your agenda is if you
cannot accomplish it and at the same time be Jesus to that person who has done
wrong in your eyes and if that be the case then you either did not get your information from God or you
abused His trust. Know this by doing this their test has become your own.
Jeremiah
17:9-10 MKJV The heart is
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (10) I Jehovah search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to each man
according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
