John 7:24

In my daily reading I found myself in John 7. I actually had one verse really stand out to me out of this chapter, verse 24 which says, “Look beneath the surface so that you can judge correctly” (NLT).

The context of this scripture was when Jesus was pointing out to the Jews their flaw in getting on Jesus for healing on the Sabbath when in all actuality they were really guilty of the same thing for circumcising on the Sabbath just in order to follow the Law of Moses.

I really find this verse applicable to every one of us today actually as we will look at “surface situations” in order to cast judgment on someone instead of going to the heart of the matter. Do you know the true story behind the situation? Do you really know what the motives are of that individual?

The Amplified says to “be honest in our judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances).” So in other words if unless we look beyond the superficial appearances our judgment is not even an honest one.

I also like how The Message puts it, “Don't be nitpickers; use your head—and heart!—to discern what is right, to test what is authentically right.” I think we all have a tendency to nitpick about things and do it on a very surface level. In order to do this we are told to not only use our head but use our heart. I have heard it put like this, “We want others to judge us by our heart while we judge others by their actions.” Isn’t it interesting how we always seem to grade ourselves “on the curve” so to speak and say, “that isn’t what we meant by what we did” and then turn around and say, “can you believe what that person did?” The Message reminds us to not only discern what is right but to put it to the test to authenticate it. If we only took the time to sit down and talk to some of these individuals that we cast judgment on to hear what is going on with them instead of going around talking to others about it. I think what we find out might actually surprise us.

Of course I also think we need to be aware as to whether or not we might be venturing down a dangerous path by casting any judgment whatsoever as we are reminded in Luke 6:37 to not Judge unless we want to be judged. Besides, 1 Corinthians 13:7 (AMP) tells us that if whoever is walking in God’s love “is ever ready to believe the best of every person.” So let’s cut each other some slack folks. Let’s look beyond the surface to the heart of the matter and ultimately to the heart of the individual to see what it is that God has in store for them and stop being so “nit-picky”.

This is something that God worked with me on today. Who knows? Maybe it will help you too!

Blessings and love!
DD