Judge not, that you be not judged. - Matthew 7:1What better way to tell people to mind their own business than to quote Jesus? People who seldom read the Bible are quick to quote Mattew 7:1 when they want to silence someone whose opinion they don't like. "Judge not, that you be not judged" seems like the perfect response.
In context, however, the passage indicates that we are indeed to judge; we're just supposed to avoid faulty judgements. Furthermore, our judgements are to begin with self: "First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye," Jesus said (v.5). He then said, "Beware of false propets" (v.15). This too requires judging - we need to able to discern truth from falsehood.
Jesus used the metaphor of fruit to give us the proper criteria for judging. "By their fruits you will know them" (v.20). We are to judge people (includig ourselves) by the quality of the fruit they produce. This fruit cannot be judged by earthly values such as how good we look (v.15). It must be judged by heavenly values - the fruit of the Spirit produced within us - love, joy, peace (Gal. 5:22).
Our tendency is to judge by appearance. But God judges by that we produce, and so should we. - Julie Ackerman Link
The truly lead who lead by love
And humbly serve the Lord;
Their lives will bear the Spirit's fruit
And magnify His Word. D. De Haan
Be slow to judge others and quick to judge yourself.
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There is a sentence in Chinese... mirror shows others but not itself...
Means we people always got to see others bad things but not even ONE from ourselves...
After all, just want to say that... Before saying anything about others for negative side, look at ourselves first... are there anything thing that we may let others to say too?...
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