Opinions aren't judgements
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5
The word judgment means making a decision regarding right and wrong. In today’s key verse, Paul reminds us that we cannot judge people's motives and intentions. As no one gets the full picture of a story other than God, no one can make a final decision and verdict based on the limited narrative. As Paul said, “It is the Lord who judges us” (1 Cor. 4.4) All the acts will only be revealed when the Lord comes. We will never know them all.
We are tempted to judge others based on our own opinions, and to dismiss others based on our own standards. Having said that, we often need to recognize that we need to hold our opinions lightly and with humility. We may misjudge others based on our own limited understanding of the facts.
Imagine a person as a thousand-piece puzzle. A puzzle represents the life and personality of a person. When a piece of a puzzle reveals a past mistake, without knowing the whole picture, it's easy to make assumptions and misjudge someone.
As we all have limited access to the full picture, we should avoid drawing simple conclusions based on incomplete information. Mercy triumphs judgment, a spiritual principle holds that if we are merciless in judging others, we may not receive mercy from the Lord. (James 2:13) Although we have the right to express an opinion or a view, we should express it with humility and not condemn others.
Rather than being too simple or hardened in our hearts, let our views and opinions reflect God's love and mercy. To judge with righteous judgment, Jesus wants us to acknowledge God as the supreme authority for everything. The purpose of righteous judgment is to discern and fuel God's will in each situation. In developing our "opinion", let us seek God's perspective, rather than our own understanding, which can operate in legalistic and self-righteousness. Let us cultivate empathy, love, and acceptance, so that we win people's hearts with a gentle spirit.
Blessing prayer: give us a non-judgmental heart that does not focus on shortcomings, and give us eyes of grace and righteous judgment for others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
