Judgment Call

That’s the new car we’re picking up today.  The manufacturers make it fairly easy to price/compare long before we have to visit the car lots.  There were several we were considering, based on our specific needs/wants.

I prefer the five-door.  My Cruiser has that, and  it is easy for me to load/unload Beloved Husband’s wheelchair. Plenty of space on the inside for four adults – and I can drive four of my great-grands with me, too.  That’s good, ‘cause their Mom is going to end up with the Cruiser.  I wanted another Cruiser, but they don’t make those any more.

So, it was shop and compare specifications, accessories, options, performance, safety, warranties and miles per gallon.  Three things brought us to our decision -- things the other vehicles did not offer: 1) the dealer’s within 25 miles (for country folk that does make a bit of difference; 2) price (although three of the considerations were within a thousand dollars of each other); and 3) miles per gallon.  This one gives me at least ten more mpg than my Cruiser, and five more than the competition.

That’s a lot of things to consider – yet people expect me not to be able to make judgments regarding another’s character or actions?

Here’s one of the first verses thrown out when people speak against judging.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  (Matthew 7:1-2 KJV)

That’s a good one, but an even better one isn’t quoted as often:

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6:37 KJV)

How then can a Christian state, “That’s sinful!”? Do we ignore, expecting that God will take care of it during eternity? Dare we speak out?

To me, the answer lies a little later in that same chapter.  First, we must look to ourselves:

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (Luke 6:42 KJV)

When we see clearly, we will be able to help our brother.  In that same chapter we learn we should be fruit inspectors:

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (Luke 6:43-44 KJV)

At the very least, even without pointing a finger and saying “That’s sinful!” we can determine whether actions match the fruit of the Spirit, listed in Galatians 5:22-25, and Ephesians 5:9.  Not much more difficult than picking out a car.