Probably no spiritual concept is more misunderstood than judgment. People who normally would never quote from scripture cite Jesus when they feel they are being judged, typically misquoting Him to the tune that passing any judgment is bad. Nothing could be further from the truth. To be clear: We all pass judgment on all sorts of things everyday. Every decision we make requires a judgment call. Paper or plastic, salad or pizza, fill the gas tank now or chance it, etc. Now, daily living judgment calls are one thing, but what about spiritually? The carpenter taught that we should not, in fact can not in truth, point out the flaws in others when we are demonstrating the same or worse in our lives. To do so is gross hypocrisy and opens the individual to greater reciprocal judgment, reaping what they have sown. Consider the practicing alcoholic commenting on another’s drinking, the neighbor with waist high weeds criticizing another’s lawn or the worker bemoaning the hard work of another because it makes them look bad in comparison.
Conversely when we have begun to Live on the Spiritual Basis we place our feet on the road less traveled. We have constructively inventoried our lives and placed our finger on those things which were blocking us from Divine light. We honestly and ruthlessly asked God to remove everything from us that kept us from fully demonstrating His love and guidance in our lives. In this way we learn to view ourselves and our fellows with righteous judgment. Will we do this perfectly? Of course not for the fear that lies at the heart of all our difficulties and shortcomings is a cunning foe, and though we make mistakes, we must persevere. In time we will learn to practice the same patience, kindness, love and tolerance that God shows us and take to heart the painful lesson of avoiding answering the unasked question. As our eyes open and our vision improves spiritually there are few things more painful than to watch someone sinking and know there is nothing we can do for them, save silent prayer, if they are unwilling. Righteous Judgment is being willing to walk through the very gates of hell to carry the good news, but waiting for them to ask is the heart of pain, for the desire must come from within.
Avoiding judgment is key to success because as we speak about others, that will be multiplied 100 fold in our lives. The best way I have found to avoid judging others, is to use Ho'oponopono. (http://www.mindbridge-loa.com/hooponopono.html)
ReplyDeleteAnother way, more immediate and it works when your partner or your children are speaking critically, is to say, "Just like me." That gives you the opportunity to point out that you have done that or thought about doing that (whatever the criticism is) in your own life.