Daily Devotion Monday October 4

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?       ~Romans 2:1-3
In the 2nd half of chapter 1, Paul has railed against all of those famous sins that preachers condemn. You know, the ones that almost everyone will nod their head, wag their finger at, and look down on everyone for? He’s setting them up for this passage here. They’ve all just agreed – with willful pride – that THOSE PEOPLE are dirty, rotten sinners. And then Paul drops the bomb on them: YOU are just as sinful because of your prideful judgment. Who are we, as humans to pass judgment like we’re God? We don’t know people’s hearts, and we certainly are sinful ourselves which exempts us from being a righteous judge.
Who is your favorite category of person to judge or condemn? Or maybe there’s a particular person’s name that comes to mind? You can only judge and condemn them if you think yourself worthy and them unworthy of God’s favor. That is a dangerous place to be, because it tends to lead us to stand apart from God’s grace.
Prayer: God, forgive me for thinking I am worthy to judge another when I stand in need of God’s grace as much as they are. Bend my pride to your will, make me an instrument of your grace Amen.
Pastor Vicky