WHO'S THE JUDGE HERE?

It’s important that when we see the word judge, we don’t view it as assessment. It would be silly of us to think we shouldn’t evaluate a situation and proceed forward with good judgement. The word used for ‘judge’ here is the Greek word “krino.” This word can describe the act of deciding between good and bad, but it also refers to making a final judgment on something or someone. It goes beyond assessing someone's actions and into the territory of their worth. A job that has never, nor will it ever, belong to us.

Planked Pupils
We are still called to hold one another accountable. Just because we aren’t making the final calls on worth does not mean that we are not to, in love, protect the integrity of the body of Christ. Help your brother with the sawdust in their eye. But this section is helping us see that our posture in stepping towards that situation should be one of humility. I should evaluate and cleanse myself of the sin within my own life, then approach my friend with the help they need to see that there is dust in their own. Don’t ignore it, but make sure that you’re not looking past your own to see it.

Dogs and Pigs?
Matthew 7:6 sounds like one crazy metaphor. And it kind of is. But if we look at context, what Jesus is saying is quite simple. At the time, dogs were not your cute household pets, but rather street wanderers who were filthy. The “sacred” that he is referring to is holy foods meant for sacrifice. In short: don’t give holy things to something that will not understand its worth. Not everyone is ready to hear what you have to say and it’s important to assess who you are talking to before you decide that correction is necessary. Walking around and choosing to correct everyone and every mistake you see, even if you are right, has never been the picture of love. And it’s certainly not the picture Jesus showed us.