Saturday, April 17
Judging by appearances
Scripture: Joshua 23-24, Proverbs 9, 1 Corinthians 4
1 Corinthians 4:1–5 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
Observation
Paul continues to address the Corinthian problem of tribal divisions over different leaders. He has made it clear that the leaders aren’t celebrities, but servants, and he continues that thought here. He and Apollos and Peter are servants of Christ, entrusted with God’s mysteries (revelations). They are stewards who have been given a trust and must prove faithful. However, it is only the Lord who can judge their behavior and determine if they’ve been faithful. He tells the Corinthians to avoid judgment, in large part because they don’t know anyone’s heart. Only God does. God knows “what is hidden in darkness” and “the motives of the heart.” We don’t. So “judge nothing…until the Lord comes.”
Application
We judge others by what we see—by appearances. Jesus said:
John 7:24 “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
“Appearances” is the Greek word opsis, the root of the English word “optics.” We often judge by optics—what we can see, appearances. But we all know that appearance can be deceiving. And what we can’t see is the heart and the motives of others—why they are doing what they do.
It is so easy to jump to conclusions. To make negative attributions. To assume that we know why someone behaves as they do. It is so easy to be wrong.
So Paul’s advise is wise: “Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.” I know only a fraction of the back story and must refrain from judging. (BTW—we must discern between right and wrong, truth and error. That kind of judgment is essential. But jumping to conclusions about people’s motives and then writing them off—that’s a big mistake.)
I’m going to remind myself today of how little I actually know and refrain from negative judgments based on optics, based on my ignorance.
Prayer: Lord, each time I jump to a conclusion based on optics, remind me how little I really know and help me give others grace instead of judgment.