When someone asked Raphael how he made his wonderful pictures, he replied, “I dream dreams and I see visions — and then I paint my dreams and visions.” The teachings of Christ, if reverently received, fill our mind with dreams and visions of spiritual beauty. But there is something we must do if we would receive from these teachings the good they are intended to impart — we must get them wrought into our own life.
The lesson on judging is not an easy one. The lesson is not that we should never have any opinions concerning the actions of others — we cannot avoid having judgments either of approval or disapproval. It is not an easy-going acceptance of all sorts of people and behavior, which is taught. What we are forbidden to do is to be censorious. Rather, we are to treat others — as we would have them treat us.
There are reasons enough why we should not judge others. One is that it is not our duty. We are not our neighbor’s judge. He does not have to answer to us. God is his Master, and to Him he must give account.
Another reason we should not judge others is because we cannot do it fairly. We see but the surface of people’s lives. We do not know what has been the cause of the disagreeable features, the faults, we see in them. Perhaps if we knew all — we would praise, where we now condemn. A young man was blamed by his fellow clerks for what they called his stinginess. He did not spend money as they did. They did not know that an invalid sister in another part of the country, shut away in her room, with none but her brother to care for her, received nearly all of his monthly salary.
Another reason for not judging others, is that we have faults of our own — which should make us silent about the failings of others. When we glibly condemn our neighbor’s shortcomings, we assume that we ourselves are without shortcomings. But quite likely we have a beam in our own eye — at the very time we are pointing out to our brother the mote in his eye. Our first business certainly is with ourselves. We shall not have to answer for our brother’s faults — but we must answer for our own. We should be severe in dealing with our own faults — and then we will be able to help in curing the faults of others.
Another reason against judging, is that the law of love requires us to look charitably at the faults and sins of others. “Love covers a multitude of sins” (see 1 Peter 4:8). An artist placed his friend in the chair in such a position, that the blemish on one side of his face would not show in the picture. That is the way love prompts us to see our friends and neighbors, and show them to others — exhibiting the noble things in them — and throwing a veil over their defects.
Still another reason for not judging others, is that when we do, we are setting a standard for the judging of ourselves. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others — you will be judged.” If you criticize others — you must expect them to criticize you, and they will. Those who deal gently with the acts of others — may expect gentle treatment by others in return. People will give back to you — exactly what you give to them.
The Golden Rule, as it is called, is wonderfully comprehensive. It bids us to consider the interests of others, as well as of ourselves. It bids us to set our neighbor alongside of ourselves and think of him as having the same rights we have, and requiring from us the same fairness of treatment that we give to ourselves. It is in effect a practical way of putting the command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). It gives us a standard by which to test all our motives and all our conduct bearing on others. We are at once in thought to change places with the person toward who duty is to be determined, and ask: “If he were where I am — and I were where he is — how would I want him to treat me in this case?”
The application of this rule would instantly put a stop to all rash, hasty actions, for it commands us to consider our neighbor and question our own heart before doing anything. The true application of this rule would put a stop to all injustice and wrong because we should seek the highest good of all other men, even the lowliest and the humblest — for we surely would like all men to seek our good.
The thorough application of the Golden Rule, would end quarreling and strife in families, in communities and among nations. The perfect working of this rule everywhere would make heaven, for the will of God would then be done on earth as it is in heaven.
J. R. Miller was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain. This is an edited version of his original.
