The other day I overheard a very hard conversation to listen to between two Christians about a non-believing friend and how they disapproved of his life style and were just cutting him down behind his back. It took me every effort in my body to not say anything because I don’t think I would have been “nice”. It bugged me, but it got me thinking.

I wonder what would happen if Christians stopped judging people and started to love people as much as we sometimes judge others. Hear me out on this:

Believe it or not, many non-Christian believe that Christians look down upon them because we don’t believe what they are doing is right. They think we are prideful and super quick to find the negatives in others. (Read David Kinnaman’s bookUnChristian, it’s in there if you want to go into major detail. He does an amazing job).

God’s judgements are perfect, ours are not. Scripture actually warns against us being so judgmental (Romans 2:1,4). I don’t understand how anyone can read the Gospels or look at the life of Jesus, see how He treated unbelievers and “sinners” (because we all are sinners), and realize that Jesus dying on the cross in our place and redeeming us in the eyes of God can produce a judgmental attitude. I do not.

If we were to truly take the Gospels and Jesus seriously, we would not produce judgment but would exhibit the overflowing love and mercy our God provides us each and every day. Instead of focusing on the bad in others and being quick to judge, we need to be able to focus on the good in them and the potential they have to be Christ followers and make a huge impact for the kingdom.