Don't Judge Me!!!!!

Matthew 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Friends,

   I began this last week by being a Judge at the high school talent show.  I felt very honored to be one of three people chosen for this very important responsibility.  It was an enjoyable experience, but a lot more difficult than I expected.  The only disappointing thing about the experience was that they said that I was not allowed to pretend to be Simon Cowell.  I had to do my comments in writing on a score sheet.  The real rewarding part, was watching these young people give their all.  The winners were amazingly talented.

Maybe not using good judgement

    This gave me the idea for the blog this week.  It brought to mind a scene from "The Princess Bride".  During one scene Enigo and his giant friend Fesik are on a ship with a hired mercenary.  The mercenary has kidnapped the princess in order to start a war.  But while on the ship, they are followed by another ship and it is catching up to them.  The mercenary keeps using the word Inconceivable.  He uses it so much that Enigo comments that he is not sure that the mercenary knows the meaning of the word.  I believe the same about people, when it comes to the words Judge or Judgement.
    I get kids saying to me all the time; "Don't Judge me Mr. O."  I always find it interesting that they say this to me, when they have been caught selling or smoking weed, misbehaving or not completing their work in my class.  In the case of the weed, I am not the Judge, they will see one of the professional members of that fraternity soon enough.  But, in the case of misbehaving and not doing your work,  my comment to them is, "Ok I won't judge you, I am just going to profile you."  You know, I am just trying to be PC, like everyone else. Anyway, I do talk with them and tell them a quote my grandfather used to use all the time, "If a spade is a spade, then it must be a spade."  If you don't like being associated as a pot smoker, then don't smoke pot and don't hang around with people that do so as well.  If you don't like being known as a trouble maker, then don't get in trouble and so on.  It seems to me that the only people that don't like their profile or being judged, are people that are outside the norm and have to convince others that they are ok.
    According to Google the definition of Judge is to form an opinion or conclusion.  At The First Tee we use the word Judgement as one of the nine core values and the definition is the ability to make a decision or form an opinion; a decision reached after consideration.
    The reason for my short diatribe is that someone published on Facebook not too long ago a statement from the Proud to be a Liberal site that went like this:  You define your character when you Judge others.  It was put in the context of having an opinion about the way other people live their lives.  So, it got me to thinking and this is my decision based on careful consideration.

Once again, maybe not the best judgement.

    I hope that my character is defined by my good Judgement.  I hope that people identify me as a person that lives by a high standard.  I am proud to be profiled or judged as a white, heterosexual, Christian family man.  I am a school teacher that tries to do my best by my kids everyday, and I am a darn good golf coach as well.  Go ahead and judge or profile me.  I don't agree with the way some people live their lives.  I do think that people that make statements like the one earlier, don't live by the same standard that I live by and want people to agree with them.  My standard is my faith in Christ, and the book I get my guidance from is the Holy Bible.  I can only hope that even though people that don't live by the same standard as myself, recognize when people are causing harm to others with their lifestyle.  Here are a few things that I hope they will Judge others by:  I hope they recognize and judge that it is wrong when an alcoholic is abusing their family and something should be done about it.  I hope that they recognize that if a child is in trouble that good Judgement will be used to help that child.  I hope that they help a woman in distress.  I hope they use good judgement when it comes to being a good samaritan.  
    Christians in particular have been beaten down and are not allowed to have an opinion.  I am sorry, but when you are a Christian, you need to have an opinion and use good Judgement.  It is our job to call each other out and hold each other accountable.  How has it gotten to the point in our country that the majority is not allowed to have an opinion and judge when something is wrong?   We all have things in our lives in which we need to improve and lord knows that I am not perfect, but if you live a lifestyle that is not healthy and you ask my opinion, I am going to tell you.  I think the key to that last phrase is that I was asked.  If there is one thing that I have learned is that I will state my opinion when asked, but I am not going to force it on someone else.
    I am like my brother Paul.  He and I discuss how to save the world all the time and the one conclusion that we have come to is that as Christians, we have humbled ourselves into not saying anything.  I don't know if it is because we are so concerned about Matthew 7: 1-3.  I don't know if it is that we have gotten so caught up in taking the plank out of our own eyes or what it is, but in the current climate of our country someone needs to say when things are wrong.  Currently in the political climate, all of the minorities and liberals get to say whatever they want and get away with it, but if a conservative Christian says anything they are lambasted.  Because people of faith are supposed to live by a very high standard, it is easy to point the finger when they fall.  How easy it is to live without standards and then laugh at those that attempt to try to live by high standards.
    Recently, I was reading a book and one of the statements that made a huge impact on me was, that in order to use more of our brain, it is important to be Mentally, Morally and Physically Healthy.  It took me back a bit.  I had to sit down and really think about each one of these.  I came to the conclusion that the mental part is something that I am always practicing.  Morally, this is always a work in progress, because although I feel like I have a good relationship with Jesus, it can always be better.  Finally, I have slid backward a bit on the physical part and need to kick my butt in gear.  Basically, it is hard to be healthy in all of these areas.  It is very easy to not think about any of it.
    So, to finally get off of my soap box this week.  I want to challenge you to look at the standards that you live by.  According to Jesus, we are always supposed to be pressing forward.  Take a moment and ask yourself the same questions I asked myself and remember, even though we may stumble Christ is there to give us a hand.  Also, remember if you have to judge someone use careful consideration before you make a decision.
   Have a great week.