sometimes i'm in danger of making sweeping statements and generalisation. last sunday i suggested (in repsonse to the Jesus parable-story about wheat and weeds) that we are invited to stop judging.
don't we need to make judgements in order to live? is it really possible to live without judgement?
perhaps we need to differentiate between judgements made in order to navigate safeley through life. we need to make a judgement about our safety in any given situation. sometimes we may need to withdraw from a situation because it is no longer safe for us to be there. I'm sure this is not the kind of judgement that Jesus is refering to.
Moral judgement flows out of a (human?) desire to clarify where we and others stand. It assumes that the universe is based on judgement. Everything is always about right and wrong... belonging and being outcast... acceptance and rejection.
one of the revolutionary consequences of being loved by a gracious God is that the foundation of reality is changed. we discover (with some difficulty - it's hard to really accept) that the foundation of reality is not a God who draws a line, but a God who loves across the line... way above and beyond the call of duty.
when we trust that God's attitude toward us (and others) is not our version of judgement - we may trust that the universe is safe, that God is good and that we can continue to treat people (even the most disgusting) with respect and dignity.
it's going to be tough to stop the judging. to silence the judgement in our heart and minds - and to discipline our tongues. perhaps that's where we can start. stop the judging words spoken. a nd maybe in time our hearts and minds will follow...
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