Solution for the plank in my eye!

It is easy to see others making decisions in their lives that you do not agree with and instantly judge the person for their actions.  Appearances are deceiving and the heart is what truly matters. An exercise in college that taught me about judging by appearances and how wrong they are comes to mind when I go down the road of looking at others and think that they are making poor choices with their jobs, friends, homes, or families...

The exercise broke students up into pairs and had us write what we thought about the other person. I was paired with a girl that I had a basic friendship with and I thought she knew me beyond just appearances, yet when our answers were revealed, I was surprised at her answers that she put down for me: a snob, stuck up, and unfriendly.  I know I have been many of those things in my life but I was still surprised when I saw it on paper.  In my mind's eye, I was friendly and kind.  Judgment has affected the way I to friends and family.  My vision is consumed by their actions and I cannot look at the person as Jesus has called us too.  I think about the verse (Matthew 7:3)that speaks about having a plank in my own eye when the other has only a sliver.  When I am around them, all I can think about the poor decisions they make and I find myself avoiding them in order to avoid giving my opinion or treating them unkindly.

What a poor light I am! It is a constant effort in prayer and being conscious of my thoughts to not participate in judgment of others. God has been gracious in helping me avoid tempting situations where judgment is found. Recently, I was in a conversation but stepped away for a few minutes and when I returned, the conversation had shifted into judging a person.  I gave thanks to God for allowing me to have stepped away at the moment that I did so I did not engage with others.  The Bible says that there is always an escape route for sin and it was an answer to prayer because God provided me a way out.  Now when I begin to think of situations and people that I have judged, I turn it over to the Lord and pray a blessing on the folks or situation.  I know he is faithful and will provide a way out.  Plus the Bible says "Judge not, lest you be judged" and I figure the less I judge, the less people will judge me.  I hope my light shines more that my judgment does.


Is there someone who you have judged and has that judgment colored your view of them? Can you  have a conversation with that person or has it damaged your relationship? Confess it, seek forgiveness if necessarily, and when judging thoughts make their way back into your mind, rebuke the Enemy in Jesus name and pray a blessing over that person/situation,

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Mt 7:3