To judge or not to judge?
Freedom to choose if customers will be allowed in our store if they do not have on a shirt and shoes, the freedom to choose to know if sexual offenders live in the neighborhood of a home we want to buy or rent in order to decide for ourselves if we want to live in that neighborhood, freedom to require our patrons to wear masks or to not wear masks, freedom to refuse service to those we sincerely believe are violating our beliefs: This is what the Montana government is wisely taking measures to protect. It has nothing to do with hating or judging people. Others are free to believe what they believe while those who believe differently should be afforded the same freedom. If someone does not want me in their business because of our different core values, I’m fine with that. I respect their freedom. Why would I want to be pushy and offensive and demand they have to let me do business with them?
There is a difference between judging a person’s actions and judging the person. When a judge passes judgment on a person in his court because of his behavior, he does not hate the person. He is simply judging what is true and right based on the laws of the society. When someone judges the behavior of another based on the laws written in the Bible and believed to be from God, contrary to hating the person, it is out of love and concern for the person to not support the person who is breaking those laws. Years ago, when one of our employees was arrested and on trial for molesting his children; we went to his trial. We grieved for him. We didn’t hate him. He went to prison. We would call him and encourage him to change and make better choices.
On the other hand, when the person is judged rather than their actions, the one passing judgment is evaluating the worth of the person. When they judge them as being less than someone else, even perhaps viewing them as not worthy of being loved, perhaps hating them because of the hurt they have done; that judgment is false and hurtful. Jesus taught not to judge the person. When the woman caught in adultery was brought to Him, it would appear the religious leaders who brought her looked down on her as inferior to them and they would have killed her. Jesus judged her behavior, but not the inherent beauty and worth of her person. He loved her yet told her to go and sin no more because Jesus knew if she kept sinning it would ultimately bring death and hell to her.
People are confused today regarding when to judge and when not to judge. Those who believe God has spoken to man in the Bible accept what is defined there as God’s laws. Societies may not follow those laws. Nazi Germany instituted policies allowing for the mass murder of people. Under Stalin tens of millions were killed. Throughout history those who adhere to God’s laws sometimes have to decline to support their nation’s laws if they go against what is believed to be from God. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights: that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
—Synoia Olson lives in Lakeside