Judge Not, That You May Not Be Judged

The WORD in other words (2006) by Father Joe Mirabueno SVD – Occidental Mindoro

In a small community closed to the wider world, it is often the pastime of barrio folks to chat about everything under the sun — especially gossip about the private lives of neighbors. Gossip is rooted in judging others without evidence of truth. It often comes from self-projection and quick judgment. This is similar to what happened to David who condemned immediately the wrong of an unknown man; but the prophet Nathan confronted him: “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7).

In Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord warns: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged… Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1–5). Likewise, in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee saw himself as more righteous, while the tax collector humbly begged for mercy (Luke 18:9–13).

Nobody is perfect enough to judge others disdainfully. As the saying goes: “When you point one finger at someone, three fingers point back at you.” Before sweeping our neighbor’s backyard, we must first sweep our own. Self-examination of our imperfections helps us avoid uncharitable thoughts toward others simply because they are different from us.

The book of Samuel reminds us: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Truth, humility, and sincerity must guide our relationships. Gossip and rash judgment destroy communities, but compassion and understanding build them up.