Key points
- 1
1Judging in Matthew 7 is not using godly wisdom to help someone grow — it is a condemning, critical spirit that attacks motives rather than pursuing restoration.
- 2
2Scripture commands believers to gently and humbly help a fellow believer back onto the right path — the opposite of harsh condemnation.
A story from life
Pastor Bill describes the repeated cycle of heated confrontations with his son and the breakthrough that came from apologizing for his attitude before resuming the conversation
- 3
3The log-and-speck illustration shows that a judgmental person becomes a hypocrite — pretending to have it together while blind to their own greater failures.
- 4
4Throwing pearls before pigs means that when we hurl truth at people with a harsh, self-righteous spirit, we invite attack and accomplish nothing — condemnation comes back on us.
- 5
5Jesus modeled being Jesus rather than a judge with the woman caught in adultery: He met her with grace and love first, and only then called her to walk a better path.
Related passagenull“The world doesn't need judges. The world needs to see Jesus in us”
“It wasn't the content of the message that was the problem, it was the content of my heart”
Illustration
The woman caught in adultery — Jesus writes in the dirt, clears the crowd, shows grace, and then calls her to a new direction (John 8)
A story from life
Pastor Bill shares how he preached out of anger and fear during the 2008 financial collapse and church building crisis, was confronted by trusted men in the church, and had to confess his heart before he could lead well
- 6
6The practical key is to confess before you address — deal honestly with the log in your own eye, then bring truth to others wrapped in love and humility.
Related passagenull“We're not called to be the judge. We're called to be Jesus”
“contemptation is about me. Restoration is about us. It's about helping them”
“confess before I address”
“grace for me, justice for them”
A story from life
Pastor Bill recounts being frustrated at drivers cutting him off on the highway, only for his wife to point out he was doing the same thing weaving through traffic
Application
Pastor Bill's challenge is direct and personal: stop acting as a judge in other people's lives and start being Jesus to them. The first step is inward — examine your own heart before you ever open your mouth to address someone else's sin or struggle. Ask yourself whether your frustration is really about loving that person toward healing, or whether it is about being right, venting hurt feelings, or demanding your rights. Then confess — genuinely, out loud — the anger, fear, or pride you find there. Only after that can you bring truth in a way the other person can actually receive. This applies in marriage, parenting, friendships, and how we engage our broader culture. Truth without love runs people over; love without truth leaves people stuck. Jesus always does both — and so should we.
