Judging
by Emily Alsip
Saturday, February 27 – Psalms 75, 76 v 23, 27; Gen. 43:16–34; 1 Cor. 7:10–24; Mark 5:1–20
(BCP Readings for today)
We live in a culture that judges. We judge and are judged based on what we are wearing, what we are driving, where we live, and what we buy at the grocery store. As a teacher, I judge my students on their work, their friends, and their behavior. We judge our families, our friends, and strangers that we pass on the street. Judging is second nature to us, and it’s exhausting.
I hate being judged. I hate that I can so easily look around a room or at the driver next to me and pass judgment without even thinking it through. I want to please God, but I also want to please everyone else.
At first glance, Psalm 75 appears to be a harsh declaration of God’s judgment. A closer read, however, reveals it as a comforting word of encouragement. Verse 7 reminds us that “…it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.” What a beautiful thing to read in a world that is obsessed with being the best and finding the flaws in others. It’s not my job to judge. It’s God’s. I can’t be truly judged by anyone except Him.
“For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up.” I pray that I will remember Psalm 75 each time I start to pass judgment or feel discouraged by the judgment of others – not just in this season of Lent, but throughout the year. Only God can truly execute judgment, and that is a very good thing.
Image from Penn State (used by permission via Creative Commons).
