Something truly sacred happens when we give our lives to Christ.
Our eyes are opened not only to the purpose of our lives, but to the One who created it all. The questions we’ve carried for years begin to find their answers. The pain, the wounds, the struggles that once defined us are met by the overwhelming truth that they have already been defeated through Jesus Christ.

Through Him, we are given new life and not just for today, but eternal life. We are filled with gifts from God that empower us to live righteously and walk in holiness. Our vision becomes clearer, our hearts expand, and our wisdom deepens.

This transformation is not just a moment, it’s a lifelong becoming. A continual pursuit of becoming more like Jesus.

But along the way, something subtle can happen.

As our love for Jesus grows, we become passionate, zealous even. We want others to experience what we’ve experienced. We begin to speak, to correct, to defend. And while our intentions may come from love, they can become mixed with something else: judgment.

The issue isn’t loving Jesus deeply. The issue is when that love becomes diluted..when pure truth is mixed with pride, self-righteousness, or a need to correct others without first examining ourselves.

The truth is: Jesus does not need defending.
He does not need us to speak on His behalf out of pride or superiority. He desires obedience, humility, and love, not judgment.

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus gives us a clear command:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

He continues by reminding us that the same measure we use on others will be used on us. He paints a vivid picture trying to remove a speck from someone else’s eye while ignoring the plank in our own.

Without God’s clarity, our vision is never as sharp as we think it is. What we see in others will always be filtered through our own imperfections.

Recently, I witnessed this firsthand.

I came across a man online who had built a reputation through gossip, but after a near-death experience, he publicly shared that he had encountered God and given his life to Christ. Whether his transformation was complete or not wasn’t for me to determine, but what I saw was someone who had experienced something real.

Yet, instead of grace, he was met with harsh judgment. People refused to forgive. They clung to who he used to be, unwilling to make room for who he was becoming.

It was heartbreaking because that is not the heart of Jesus. Jesus is about redemption, restoration and transformation.
When I encouraged forgiveness, I was met with others judging me as well. Words that fueled anger rather than healing. And what struck me most was this: it sounded like something I’ve often heard not just from unbelievers, but from believers!

In the church, we can be quick to judge those who fall into sin, those who struggle, or those who don’t change as quickly as we did. I’m guilty of it too. We sometimes correct before we pray. We condemn before we love.

But Scripture calls us higher. In Luke 6:35, we are told to love our enemies.
In Mark 12:31, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. This includes everyone. Believers and non believers alike.

When we see someone living outside of God’s will, our first response should not be judgment it should be prayer.

We must remember every person will one day stand before God. And we do not know who will be radically transformed in the time between now and then. The very person we are tempted to judge today could be used mightily by God tomorrow.

How big is our faith in Jesus? Do we truly believe He can transform anyone? Scripture shows us again and again that one encounter with Jesus can change everything. So today, ask the Lord to search your heart.

Proverbs 16:2 says:
“All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.”

We cannot always trust our own perception of righteousness. Our hearts can convince us we are right, even when we are not. But God sees deeper and He examines the spirit.

If we are all sinners, then there is always something within us that God is refining. When Jesus speaks of the “plank” in our eye, He is not suggesting it might be there, He is revealing that it is.

This means we approach others with humility, not superiority. We are called to correct in love but never to judge from a place of pride. So as you go about your day whether scrolling through social media, walking through your city, or interacting with others, pause before forming an opinion.

Pray first. Pray that God’s love would cover the situation.
Pray that His Spirit would move. Pray for the person you’re tempted to judge.
And pray for yourself that each day, you would become more like Jesus.

Like the story of the woman with the issue of blood, Jesus saw her not by her condition, but by her identity.

Before He acknowledged the issue, He called her daughter.

May we learn to see people the same way.

PRAYER-

Heavenly father,

Thank you so much for the gift of repentance and redemption. Examine my heart today and expose to me all the things that aren’t pleasing to you. Uproot the Judgement out of me, and let me see others the way you see them. I pray to see everyone through the eyes of the Holy Spirit today. You are the embodiment of Love, and you desire us to love others the way we love ourselves. Help me to love differently today. Help me to be patient today. Help me to give encouragement to someone today. Continue to do a work in me, so each and everyday, I look a little bit more like you. In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

SCRIPTURE TO MEDITATE ON

Romans 14:13

1 Corinthians 2

Psalms 139:23

Proverbs 16:2

Luke 6:35

Mark 12:31

Matthew 7:1