Friday, September 13, 2013

Being the Judge


“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.  When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.’ 

Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’ 
‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said.

‘Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’

Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.’ ‘You have judged correctly,’ Jesus said." (Luke 7:36-43 NIV)

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself assuming the role of judge. And from what I can assess about others, it is a fairly common role we all assume.  

I once had a professor in seminary who always seemed irritable and on edge.  We students were very critical of him.  I think another professor heard the complaints and one day explained to his class that this professor dealt with ongoing migraine headaches.  Some days, he told us, he could barely open his eyes, yet never cancelled his classes.  

How easy it is for us to judge someone.  I know it is a constant battle for me.  Why is that?  Why do we so easily fall into the role of judge?  I think, for me, it is that continual need to feel secure in my own righteousness or goodness. I don’t necessarily consciously think that; it is just the underlying motivation when I am critical. I am judging in order to declare myself innocent of more serious charges. Hey, at least I am a lot better than that guy!

Simon, the Pharisee in this story, was doing the same thing.  He was trying to reassure himself that he was better than both the woman and Jesus.  Better than the woman because he lived a much more righteous life than she did.  Better than Jesus because, though He was a religious teacher, He was allowing this sinful woman to touch Him.  Simon was feeling pretty good about himself until Jesus responded to his thoughts.  

I find it interesting that Jesus uses the word “judge” to commend Simon’s answer to His question.  Judging is not necessarily wrong; it is that so often we render the wrong verdict out of our own selfish interests.  Like a political trial whose only purpose is to make the government appear in a good light, truth and justice have no role.  It is only about self-preservation.  

When confronted by Jesus, Simon judged the situation correctly.  The sinful woman felt the heavy load of her sin and knew Jesus had lifted it. She, in response, loved Him deeply.  Simon, on the other hand, felt little weight from his own sin.  He considered himself a righteous man in no need of a Savior.  He had judged correctly that the person who does not understand how big of debt is owed will not feel much love toward the one who forgave it.  

We each owe a big debt that is impossible to pay back.  It does not matter who we are or how we have lived.  Our debt is the same and we each are in desperate need for a Savior.  We will more easily judge correctly if we always keep that in the front of our minds.

© Jim Musser 2013

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