Why We Should Always Choose Grace Over Judgment

Everything I’ve judged I’ve become. You know that scripture that says, “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.” It’s in Matthew 7:1-2 and it’s TRUE! 

The first time I realized the impact of this verse I was in college. I remember VIVIDLY and HARSHLY judging this family that would show up to church over an hour late every Sunday. I could not understand why they were consistently THAT late.

I never found out why they were always late, but the Tuesday after I made some pretty brutal judgments in my mind about them, I was late to every single thing in my schedule. At the time, I was a full time student plus working 5 part time jobs so being late to one thing snowballed me into lateness in every other thing, all day. And it happened every day until Sunday came around. That family was, of course, walking into service over an hour late again and I heard very clearly, “don’t judge them, you were late ALL WEEK.” 

You would think I would have learned right then to never judge another human for anything else, but of course, I didn’t. I’ve gone on this “judge not” journey many times for multiple reasons and in multiple seasons. And now that I’ve had so much time to learn from experience, I’ve finally developed a little “check” in my spirit right as I’m about to think something judgy. 

So why am I even telling you this? To hopefully save you the heartache and exhaustion from riding a roller coaster you didn’t mean to buy a ticket to. It’s so easy today especially with the internet, to judge everything we see, even about people we will never meet in real life!

But our job is not to judge and we don’t know anyone’s full story. So instead, let’s practice grace. We want grace in our life and to cover our own faults, right? So if we practice that with other people, we’re more likely to get it back. And as an added bonus – we’re going to be happier and less burdened when we stop worrying about other people and why they do the things they do. Let’s lighten our hearts together! 

Kristen James

Morning Show Host, STAR 99.1

Want more encouragement? Keep reading ⬇️

The Unforgettable Beauty of Being the Involved Dad

Parenting gets a bad rap in pop culture. But the garden I was given to keep—a little boy and a baby girl and a woman—was beautiful. My job? Helping them thrive and grow and bloom.
Read More

God Is With You in the Midst of Struggles

I have so much fun talking with you.  Most afternoons, I share “One Truth” on my radio show as a daily dose of hope and inspiration. Not too long ago, I…
Read More

The Little-Known Breast Cancer Risk You Should Know About

Approximately half of all women younger than 50 – and one-third of women over 50 – often don’t know they have a hidden health danger.
Read More

Unlock weekly devotionals, contests, and
more in your inbox - Become a STAR 99.1 Insider today!

Leave a Comment