Live and Let Liveਨਮੂਨਾ

7. Do Unto Others (Part 1)

Fair Judgment

Let’s call a spade a spade. But not without first acknowledging that we all have some spades of our own.

To judge fairly and be objective on most occasions is among most men’s least likely attributes. Our views can sometimes be very obstructed. Especially our views of other people and the things they deal with that we know nothing about. We only see the speck because the beam blocks our eyes from an objective perspective. Our opinions on others are often formed on a single speck, rather than the broader specifics.

To be a man who judges fairly is something seen very rarely. But Jesus reminds us to render our judgment of others in a similar way we would like to be judged as well. If we would prefer someone to know us a little better before forming opinions, we ought to do the same to others. If we would like people to take our context into consideration in how they view our situation, then we better give people the benefit of the doubt as well.

When we think back to our first Bible study of this series on the prodigal son and his older brother, this teaching of Jesus reminds us not to be like the older brother. We all have flaws that we need grace to improve on. Therefore, we can all have some grace with one another also. Jesus warned us against judging others and called us to live from His grace. But as we read further, we are also reminded to be discerning and grow as we start removing the logs from our own eyes first.

Forgiveness is free. But trust is a treasure.

Forgiving one another should flow freely. It is what Christ has both modelled to and commanded us to do. Yet to give your trust to someone requires a little more.

Again, referring to the prodigal son, we remember him ending up among the pigs. He also had to leave behind the pigs and their ways when he returned to his father. Likewise, if we will live and let live according to our Heavenly Father’s will, we should forgive all but treat our trust as a treasure to be shared with few.

Being friendly and inviting can become our second nature. But sharing our hearts with just about anyone should be second-guessed. Our friendliness should be open to all, but our friendship must come at a cost – not unlike the cost of pearls.

This is not to say that anyone we dislike are pigs, and we should avoid contact with all unbelievers. In fact, we might be shocked to find more pigs who will devour our pearls in church culture than we thought. But that’s just it, not everyone who is part of church culture is living in a Jesus culture. So, be discerning when it comes to your closest relationships.

Judge fairly, discern wisely, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love and forgive everyone, but don’t trust just anyone. Let’s live and let live.

Let’s Live and Let Live:

• What are your standards when it comes to judging the lives of others?
  How well do you think you might be meeting their standards?
• How do you navigate between forgiving anyone, but not trusting everyone?
• Pigs can become princes, but princes should not play with pigs. How can you lovingly believe in the redemption of everyone, but not be pulled down by anyone?