Monday, April 27, 2009

Playing Satan

One of my greatest struggles is with judging others. I have often heard that when I judge someone, I am usurping God's role and acting like I am God. Of course I try to refrain from judging others, but I frequently fail.

What I did not realize is that my judging others I am acting like Satan, who tried to usurp God's power. James 3:15 says that such "wisdom" is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. Is my inner need to judge others Satan's attempt to make me more like him, less like Jesus? Satan knows that when I judge others I cannot treat them with love and kindness. Instead, I will act with bitterness, superiority, arrogance ...

By judging others we have doubled our idolatrous problem - not only have we let an idolatrous desire rule our hearts, we have also set ourselves up as judging minigods. Just as I need to question whether my desire for a clean house interferes with my desire to serve God, I need to question whether my thoughts toward others are judgmental, rather than loving and kind.

Lord, give me the discipline to stop judging others and instead treat everyone with love and kindness.

This post was inspired by the book "Peacemaking for Families" by Ken Sande.

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