Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – judge or rescuer, decide on your role in the world and live accordingly. You will not be able to serve both these masters, one will trump the other. You will either be a condemner or a lover.
John 3:17 TPT
[17] “God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it!
Observation
When I meet people what is my posture? Judgement or rescue? Do I hear what I disagree with loudest, and allow judgement, defence, and ‘being right,’ to drive my posture and response? How quick am I to judge behaviour, and beliefs, as opposed to seeing others as already rescued sons and daughters of God and sharing the love and acceptance of their saviour with them? When I judge I see a problem that needs my expert interpretation and judgement, when I love I see a person on a journey like me that I can embrace and walk alongside.
Did Jesus come not to judge, but then send me to judge? Ridiculous right? So why are his rescued people more known for their judgment than their love? Why have we elevated judgment to the superior response position in his name, rather than be reflective of all that his name represents? Rescue, salvation, love, forgiveness, and oneness, are clearly the priorities of Jesus and the priority of scripture, yet we so often trump them with judgement, condemnation, separation, and being right, and believe this to be the call of God. How she must shake her head at the self-appointed judges in her name!
Are our tables of fellowship open to all? Are our lives open to all? Can we hear the difference of opinion and see the difference in behaviour with a sense and posture of wonder and investigation and dialogue rather than the closed position of judge, jury and executioner? Does the gospel need our defence of doctrine and practice more than it needs our expression of love? If we believe scripture we know that we see dimly, yet with dim sightedness we proclaim “I’m right and you’re wrong.” Despite the fact that what we believed years ago we have now progressed into a fresh position of revelation. We see dimly, we are progressive in our revelation, clearly, we are on a journey, yet we become killers of the journey with the sword of judgment in hand rather than fellow pilgrims on the road to know God and how we live in the fullness of his life.
When did disagreement become a sword that I unsheathe whenever my judgment is aroused by what I hear or see? The world, the flesh, disagrees and then divides. We have lost the capacity to journey together beautifully in disagreement. We sacrifice oneness on the altar of rightness without a second thought. We don’t live here, we live from heaven to earth, how does heaven respond to disagreement?
Application
I will lay down my judgements in favour of the embrace of fellow journeyers on the beautiful journey of being loved by God and reflecting this in my loving others. I will not withdraw a seat to my table based on my judgements, I will live from the posture of journey and have ears to listen and a life that embraces. I will not live afraid of disagreement, I will not live afraid of being labelled by those I embrace. I will live like Jesus, looking to rescue not judgment.
Response
Thank you that you do not appoint me to judge. You know, if only we could realise, that we are I’ll equipped for the role of judge. You equip me beautifully for the role you desire for me, the role of love, forgiveness and mercy. You equip me by sharing yourself with me intimately. I love this life where I put down the hammer and take up the cross of costly embrace, it is deeply more beautiful. This is a great life.
Meditation
Meditate – Jesus did not come to judge and condemn.
Consider:
What is my stance? Judgement or rescue?
How often have I closed off my embrace from others because of my judgment of them?
JOURNEY DEEPER
