Thoughts for the Day

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Jesus has just given the 'Golden Rule' to his disciples - to "Do to others as you would have them do to you", and he continues with examples of what he means. The secular world likes to hold this rule over Christians, remarking that we are told not to judge others, so should accept their lifestyle or their actions. But this is to misunderstand what is being said. Jesus calls us to show unconditional love to others, but not to give unconditional approval. We need always to remember the parable of the dragnet (Matthew 13.47-50) where it is God who will make the final judgement about anyone and their actions!

According to many Rabbis at the time of Jesus, God used two measures to judge people - a measure of justice, and a measure of mercy. On looking up the word justice in a dictionary I came up with this:

• Justice is the process or result of using laws to fairly judge and punish crimes and criminals.

Whereas the meaning of mercy is:

• to be compassionate.

I know which I would prefer to be judged by!

God of compassion,
Who judges us with scales of mercy,
help us not to judge others
but to be merciful to all.
May we understand,
if not give unconditional approval
to the actions of others,
and may we learn to show all
people unconditional love.
Amen.