by Barbara Lane Geistfeld, D.V.M.
Lutherans For Life Regional Director of Texas
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 NIV)
I think many of us find it difficult to avoid judging others when their circumstances and behaviors are different from our own. For example, take the topic of unplanned pregnancies and abortion. It may give us a warm and fuzzy feeling to help an unmarried pregnant woman choose life through our efforts—and it should—but when it happens a second or even a third time, we might find ourselves becoming judgmental and censuring.
Why can’t she live a life of purity? Why can’t she get married if she is going to keep getting pregnant? Why should we continue to support her if the father(s) will not support her and her children? I had to fight those thoughts at a pregnancy center fund-raising banquet I attended. An unmarried young woman was introduced as one who chose life, but in her testimony, it was revealed that she had done so more than once. A Lutheran pastor once said to me in a very negative, judgmental tone, “Why don’t they just use birth control? There is no excuse for unwanted pregnancies and abortions.” And when we are talking multiple abortions, not just pregnancies, then the judging may take on an even sterner tone.
I believe that lurking inside our thoughts was the insidious and all too common belief that this woman (and the father of her child) are less decent persons than the pastor and me because of their behavior. Bigger sinners, so to speak. Furthermore, they are using up our good will, compassion, and resources, so we have a right to be annoyed at their continued irresponsible behavior.
Jesus nips those thoughts right in the bud! His humorous hyperbole shames us into recognizing that all of us have sinned. In fact, He wants me to personally recognize that my sin is bigger than her sin or his sin or your sin. A speck and a plank? Can Jesus make it any plainer that we are not who we might pretend to be and that we need Him, too?
Another important facet in all this judging is “circumstance.” We have no idea of the physical, emotional, or financial conditions a young woman may be living in; no idea of personal relationships, good and bad, that impact her life; no idea if the father wants the baby or not. We often know absolutely nothing about a situation except the obvious, so how can we judge? Can we call sin “sin”? Certainly. Can we speak the truth in love? Of course. But Jesus makes it crystal clear that we cannot judge righteousness in another. We cannot read their heart as He can.
What we are called to do is to show love, mercy, and grace to others in response to the love, mercy, and grace God had given us in Jesus. We can speak the words of the Gospel to plant seeds of change in their lives. We can pray for them. And as Jesus says, we can even help get that speck out of their eye … after we allow Jesus to take the plank out of our own!