Do not Judge According to Appearance

Daily Devotional – Sunday, October 23, 2022
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
Matthew 7:24 (NKJV)

Judges spend hours listening to the accused and the accuser pleading respective cases. Witnesses take even more hours while giving evidence for either party. The judge then retreats to write the judgement. Finally, he gives the verdict.

The police and witnesses have testified. The victim awaits justice. Why spend all the time listening to a man accused of murder or theft? A nonprofessional is likely to ask such questions but a judge adheres to the rule of natural justice.

Judging a Book by its Cover

For the ordinary person, nothing comes easy like judging. That dreadlocked man is a thief. Her short dress is proof enough she is a prostitute. She spends too much time in the pastor’s office. They must be dating, yet he is married.

He has not been to church for many days. That means he has backslidden. I saw him talking to a known drug-dealer. He must be a user. How did she afford that new car on her meagre salary? She must be in an illicit relationship with a rich man.

Judge Not!

Unfair judgement of others requires not brains. Unlike a trained magistrate, those who judge others from appearance do not need to gather facts. What they see is enough to constitute a judgement. Their tools of trade are gossip and slander.

Jesus did not entertain those who judged others falsely. He warned, “Judge not” and “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (Matthew 7:1 & 24).

Do not Judge According to Appearance

Using the analogy of the log and the speck, the Lord taught that unfair criticism of others blinds the perpetrator to his own sins (Matthew 7:3-5). Christ told His disciples that if they took time to examine themselves, they would find so much filth that they would lack time to judge others.

Even when we think we are right and justified to judge others, we should be empathetic for we know not the circumstances and reasons that precipitated their actions. Jesus warns us, “Do not judge according to appearance.”

Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach me not to judge others according to appearance.