In Matthew's Steps: It's Not all Good...but don't judge!

The First Steps: Read Matthew 7

Focus Verse: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 6:1

Meditation: It’s Not All Good....But Still Don’t Judge Others

Have you ever heard someone say: “Don’t worry... It’s all good.”

I’ve heard that phrase used...frequently in fact. Sometimes they don’t say “It’s all good...” Sometimes they’ll say something like... “Well... it’s their life...” Or “It’s okay...”. Either way, the assumption is simple: It’s all relative.

Often you hear it in this context...

“They never did care much for anyone...but it’s all good.”
“They were a hard person to live with...but it’s all good.”
“They made some bad choices...but it’s all good.”
“They really don’t go to church...or care about God...or give to anyone but themselves...but it’s all good.”
“They’ll probably drop out of church after confirmation...but it’s all good.”

Usually the “it’s all good” is a judgement made afterward in response to whatever it was. And sometimes it’s not even spoken. It’s the assumption that whatever choice is made that choice is good and right and should be affirmed. Divorcing your spouse? It’s all good. Smoking or drinking a little too much? It’s all good! Sleeping in on Sunday? It’s all good!

Of course we say that within reason. There is a line we draw even on our own relativity. Beating your spouse is never good in anyone’s eyes. Neither is taking drugs or any other of the cardinal sins. It’s the gray areas of life, the areas left unspoken to by our culture that our relativity dwells. You are free to be as grumpy or nice, as thoughtful or as thoughtless, as rude or as kind, as stubborn or as pliant as you want to be. You’re free to say whatever you want and do pretty much whatever you want, even if what you want will lead to your destruction. Don’t worry...it’s all good.

Jesus reminds us in the seventh chapter of Matthew that everything is not all good. There are bad things even in the gray areas of your life and you can mess it all up. There are bad people even in religious circles and not everyone has your best interest in mind. There are wrong paths to take. Not every path leads to God. You can mess up your life... so beware!

Over and over again in this chapter, Jesus warns us against our bad choices!

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them.”(vs. 15)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”(vs. 21)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock...BUt everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”(vs. 24,26)

There is a real black-and-whiteness to Jesus words today. There is a right way...and there is a wrong way. There is a good way...and there is an evil way. There is a narrow gate...and a wide gate. There is good fruit...and bad fruit. Wise builders...and foolish builders. It is not “all good”! There are real dangers in the world! Dangerous choices that can lead us astray!

But before Jesus says all of this. Before he colors the world black-and-white and sets before us good choices and bad choices... Jesus tells us something else...

“Do not judge or you too will be judged!”

Why did Jesus start this passage this way? Do not judge? What is he nuts? How can we help our neighbor get over his or her bad habits and get on the right path if we can’t judge them first? Don’t we need to judge them first before we help them? Don’t we need to label them “needy” or “lazy” or “greedy for handouts” before we come, in our good graces, and help them in the goodness of our own hearts? Don’t we need to judge they’re on the wrong path before we can move them away from it? Isn’t that the way it works for us as we help out the homeless and the poor in our communities? They need a label before we can help. Right?

Of course we forget that Christ resides especially with those we label. Those we label “criminal”, “poor”, “homeless”, “lazy”, and “loser” are precisely those with whom Christ dwells. Later in Matthew we’ll read Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats, where Jesus says, as if in answer to this question of labeling: “Whatever you did not for one of the least of these, you did not do to me.”(Matt. 25:46).

It’s as if Christ is telling US to beware! “Beware!” Jesus says. “There are other paths you can take and they aren’t all good. Take that path to self-righteousness and you’ll wind up with a tree with bad smelling fruit. Follow after that prophet who promises prosperity for just a little of your change and you’ll follow after a wolf. Be sure to take my words, all of my words, and put them into practice or you’ll end up building your life upon a big pile of sand. Take heed. There are bad choices in this world.

You see, Jesus words here are for US. Not for “them.” They’re for US to put into practice and listen to. They’re meant to warn US...not to act as a ruler to judge THEM. That’s why Jesus warns us against judging before he says anything in terms of warning.

I always chuckle when someone approaches me after church and says: “Pastor, my son really should hear that sermon.” I wonder(silently)... “That’s nice. But don’t YOU need to hear it too?”

Jesus is talking to US here...not to the “them” we have tucked away in our heads. He’s telling us: Don’t judge people first. Do to others as you’d have done to you first. And then...beware! Beware you’re not running after the easy. Be careful you’re not worshiping yourself instead of God. Don’t take what you’ve been given and throw it to the pigs. Value the Word of God. It is for you! And you’re the one who needs to worry whether their house is built on the sand or on the rock. You’re the one with the plank in your eye. You’re the one who needs to hear this...not them! Stop judging others. Stop thinking “it’s all good”. And pay attention to Christ in your life! Amen!

Questions to Answer
1) In what context have you heard someone say: “It’s all good.” Is this statement a judgement too? Is everything really all good?
2) When are you most tempted to judge other people? How do their failures remind you of your own?
3) How can you better put Christ’s words into practice? Where is your “house” needing a better foundation?

A Prayer to Pray
Holy Jesus, it is so easy to go around criticizing and complaining about other people instead of seeing your presence before us in our lives. Open our eyes that we might see the right paths you have set before us. Forgive us for the wide gates we choose to enter and rescue us from our sinfulness, in your most precious Name we pray. Amen.