Don't Judge!

In the account of Sodom and Gomorrah the men from every part of the city, young and old, surround Lot's house and demand he send out his male guests so they can have sex with them. Lot answers "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing." Their reply was to become enraged at Lot: "Now he wants to play the judge!"

Sound familiar? Today we are often told "Don't you judge!" We are even reminded "Jesus preached that we should not judge." It's true we are not to condemn others while misleading ourselves into thinking we are without sin.

But it's different when you are condemning sin in order to save others. If any of these men had an inking of conscience and repented, he would have been saved from God's severe judgment.

Let us not back down today from the flimsy threat of seeming judgmental. What's at stake is much too great. We need to point out sin and call for repentance, reminding people that through Jesus there is forgiveness. If they fail to repent we must keep trying. It's never okay for someone to be rejecting God and his will. True love for someone is caring about what's really important--their relationship with God and their eternal lives. And we should be happy when fellow Christians do the same for us, watching out for our spiritual lives.