What the bible says about being judgmental

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? -James 4:11-12

We all know that the bible calls us to be accepting of one another—to not judge thy neighbor. But I feel like sometimes we forget the true meaning of what the bible is telling us.

We all feel like we know what is and what isn’t a sin. Don’t gossip, honor our mother and father, etc. But there is so much more behind the definition of what is and what isn’t a sin.

Some out there might feel that sin=law. That when you sin, you are breaking a law. That isn’t necessarily true though. Sin is when you do or say anything that pulls either you or someone else away from God. 

In other words, there aren’t really any specific boundaries to what is and isn’t sin. It’s something that you as an individual have to recognize about yourself. 

So when we judge other’s for their “sins,” we are trying to place our own boundaries around them, when in reality that doesn’t always work because we are all different people.

Even when the other person may be sinning, we shouldn’t judge them for it. That’s not our job—it’s God’s. Instead, we should reach out and help them in a kind and loving way. Because, after all, we all are sinners. 

This idea of judgment isn’t just talking about sin either. It’s also talking about judging others’ appearances or behaviors. Often times, I see many people, myself included, judging others based on these things. This includes the color of someone’s skin, their financial situation, the color of their hair, their instructs and hobbies, tattoos, anything like that. 

I’m a big advocate of people being allowed to live their life the way they choose, as long as they’re not hurting anyone. There are people out there who enjoy things that you find revolting, and that’s okay! They are allowed to like those things! I feel like that is something we often forget. I feel that when the bible says to not be judgmental, it’s including those things as well.

So I’d like you to keep this in mind and try to become more open-minded to other’s decsions. you don’t have to like what people do, but try to accept them anyway. And keep in mind what the bible says about sin. Try to catch yourself before you judge others, and eventually, those judgmental thoughts will go away.

I hope you all are having a blessed day!