Matthew 7:1-2 of the NIV version states: “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.
Have your ever thought that judging would be a physical event? Have you ever thought that what you say about someone shows up as a feeling inside of you?
Dictionary.com has many definitions of judgment however for today’s discussion I will use the meanings which state: to form a judgement or opinion of; decide upon critically. An example is: You can’t judge a book by its cover. Additional definitions are to infer, think, or hold as an opinion; conclude about or assess. Such as: He judged her to be competent in her job.
Judging others or even yourself harshly lowers and binds your energy. It constricts you. Take the time to close your eyes for a moment and think of someone or something that you believe to be too flamboyant or who you think is a flirt or a “smoosher” or you just don’t like. What does your body feel like? Do you have a tightness in your chess or stomach, back, neck, behind? Most of the time there is some level of stress associated with judgment. You want to have your inner vibration high because it allows you to be at your best. By changing your need to judge you will help your body to relax and not be in a state of tension. It will improve your health by reducing the distress your body is feeling when you judge.
Judging separates you from love, truth and joy. Judging can cause you to believe yourself superior and above others. This is done by making them wrong or less knowledgeable; not smart or not pretty or the wrong race, religion, national origin and I can go on. Some people talk about others as a way to project their guilt or lack of self esteem upon another person.
What do you do? When you talk about your neighbor, friend, sibling, co-worker, spouse, significant other or even your parent in a condescending manner, do you feel superior? Do you feel righteous? Do you feel better than them?
Matthew 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
I was once told that people find the fault in others, they fear they have the trait or habit in themselves or they are envious of the other person. When you judge the young woman about the way she dresses, are you looking at her slim body and wish it were you? When you tell the supervisor a fellow co-worker, whom you don’t care about, is not working or performing well, even though they are doing their job, what is the real reason? When someone is dressed a certain way do you assume they are poor, rich, getto-ish, an immigrant or even a lazy, good for nothing, person? Do you try to change them to be whom you think they should be? Being in this state does not allow you to feel good, loving, kind, long suffering, etc. Your life view is different from everyone else in the world. In a state of judging, you do not show the fruits of the spirit.
What is it about yourself that you do not like? The more you love and accept yourself, the less you judge others. We all make mistakes. Seek to forgive, love and understand both the one you are attempting to judge and any potential issues within you, that are reflected in your outside world. In other words, how are people treating you and how are you treating them and how do you feel inside.
All of this takes me to what has been referred to as the Law of Allowing. When you do not judge you are free. You are in a place of allowing and thus any limiting beliefs, ideas, thoughts, and emotions do not effect you. You are like a diamond. Hardened against the vibration lowering actions of pronouncing judgements on people and things.
In this state you give others the permission to be themselves. You will not judge or try to change anyone. If they are doing something that is harmful to others then you can take them aside and give advice but not as though you are superior.
When you have come to a place of allowing you can also become accepting of others. When someone does or says something that you are not sure about, you can simply say it is an interesting point of view. If someone irritates you, they are not the problem, you are. You have the viewpoint that caused you to be irritated. When someone disappoints you it is not their issue. It is yours. You placed the expectation upon them that they would act a certain way or that they would do a certain thing or treat you in a certain way. You do not have to agree or disagree with their behavior. You learn to respect and honor their view on a subject or the the way they dress or behave unless it is detrimental to others or against the law.
I am not talking about when something has to be done or a deadline must be met or it concerns the safety of others. This is a totally different circumstance.
When you have an issue take the time to issue a one command such as: I don’t know how I gain insight and receive guidance and have the ability to see all sides of an issue.
I don’t know how I understand and see each point of view from all angles until I can be in the states of allowing and accepting.
Set your intention to stay in the accepting and allowing states so that you do not judge others or yourself harshly or wrongfully. Everyone is at the best that they can be at any point in their life (this includes you). If you can accept that and make the necessary improvements in your life and not be judgmental, you and your life will be transformed.
According to your faith, let it be done to you. – Mattew 9:29
And it is so!
In Gratitude,
Beverly Fells Jones
The Silver Fox of Consciousness
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