Matthew 7:1-12
7: “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Reflection
The Bible frequently warns believers not to pass judgment on others (Luke 6:37; Rom. 14:10–13; 1 Cor. 4:5; James 4:11–12). Because humans are sinful, we tend to excuse ourselves from the very sin we eagerly condemn in others (Rom. 2:1, 21–23). Here Jesus goes even further and says that people often excuse sins in themselves that are far worse than the sins they see in others (Matt. 7:3–5; see also 18:21–35). The remedy for a judgmental attitude is to understand our own need for spiritual healing and mercy (5:3, 6–7). The pride that produces this kind of hypocrisy is like a log in our eye that must be removed before we can even begin to help others who are struggling with their own sin (7:5).
The destruction of our pride and judgmental attitudes requires us to remember that God has judged Jesus in our place. As we grow in our understanding of Christ’s sacrifice, we will see both the horror of our sin and the wonder of God’s grace. Grasping the free grace of Christ is what humbles us and frees us from judgmental attitudes toward others.
Romans 5:6-11
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reflection
The greatness of God’s love for us is demonstrated by the fact that “Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). He gave his life for those who are not even worthy of his attention. Yet, because of Jesus’ saving death “for us” (v. 8), we do not have to fear condemnation at the final judgment. God has already announced the final verdict ahead of time— we are “justified” (declared righteous; v. 9). Our reconciliation with God (v. 10) causes us to rejoice (v. 11), confident that he will now love and care for us as his own children!
Psalm 18:25-27
25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.
Pride is a blinding and destructive sin that causes us to poorly evaluate others and ourselves. Ask God to protect you from the destructiveness of pride in your own life and to give you a heart of humble, loving faith.