Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

There is a misconception surrounding the word ‘judge’.

“You can’t judge me.”

“The Bible says don’t judge.”

Many times, these phrases are used when someone does not want to change. While true, we should not throw stones when someone is wrong; we should try to help them correct it. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” There is definitely a right way to approach it, but holding each other accountable is an important part of our faith. James 4:17 says, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and does not do it, it is sin for them.”

Of course, Jesus knew this. He never shied away from holding someone accountable for sin. There were many examples of Jesus being blunt and telling people they were wrong and should change. Matthew 23:23 is a great example. Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites. That’s important because everyone, including the Pharisees, thought they were the most morally correct people alive. They could quote the whole Torah and were committed to giving a tenth of their spices, but they had no fruits of the Spirit! Jesus told them they neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness. What a great message from Jesus we all need to hear. Our man-made moral code of ethics means nothing. If we are just rule followers, we are missing out. What matters is our heart. Be faithful to Him and His plan and treat people with love and mercy. It’s not about knowledge, it’s about action.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Do you have someone in your life who lovingly holds you accountable and is honest with you when your actions do not reflect Jesus?
• Are you someone who holds other brothers and sisters in Christ accountable in a loving way?
• Prayer: Lord, help us to not be counted as hypocrites. Please lead me to follow You each and every day and not just be a rule follower checking off items on a to-do list. In Jesus' name, amen.