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January 26, 2003 - Matthew 7:1-5

Open It

1. What are your pet peeves (at work, home, or in your community)?
2. What kinds of things do people criticize you for most commonly?
3. How do you tend to respond when someone calls you on the carpet or corrects you?
4. What would your friends say is your biggest fault?

Explore It

5. What happens to those who are judgmental or critical? (7:1)
6. In what way will we be judged? (7:2)
7. By what measure will we be judged? (7:2)
8. What kind of faults do we notice in others? (7:3)
9. How did Jesus illustrate the foolishness of the way we find fault with others? (7:3)
10. What figure of speech did Jesus use to illustrate how blind we are to the shortcomings in our own lives? (7:4)
11. What did Jesus call those who ignore their own imperfections and focus on the flaws of others? Why? (7:5)
12. When is it good to confront others with their faults? (7:5)
13. Why is it necessary to deal with one's own sins first? (7:5)

Get It

14. When, if ever, should we criticize or judge someone else?
15. What sacred or valuable things should we withhold from people who have no concern for God?
16. Why is it that the traits of others that irritate us most are often the very faults that are present in our own lives?
17. What happened the last time you criticized someone else or judged another's actions?
18. What causes us to become critical, judgmental people?
19. How can we become more merciful and nonjudgmental?
20. What faults block your spiritual vision?

Apply It

21. How can you begin this week to get in the habit of examining your own life before you start criticizing others?
22. What fault of your own can you focus attention on this week?

Jesus tells us to examine our own motives and conduct instead of judging others. The traits that bother us in others are often the habits we dislike in ourselves. Our untamed bad habits and behavior patterns are the very ones that we most want to change in others. Do you find it easy to magnify others' faults while excusing your own? If you are ready to criticize someone, check to see if you deserve the same criticism. Judge yourself first, and then lovingly forgive and help your neighbor.

Jesus' statement, "Do not judge," is against the kind of hypocritical, judgmental attitude that tears others down in order to build oneself up. It is not a blanket statement against all critical thinking, but a call to be discerning rather than negative. Jesus said to expose false teachers (Matthew 7:15-23), and Paul taught that we should exercise church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:1-2) and trust God to be the final Judge (1 Corinthians 4:3-5).

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