Judge not lest ye be judged!

This may be the single most confusing lesson in life to be learned, for if you were unable to differentiate, how then would you be able to judge what is best for you?

I believe we are all guilty of passing judgement, whether silently or aloud. I have observed and debated this idea for some time, and my conclusion is that the simplicity of the biblical statement: “Judge not lest ye be judged”, may have greatly preceded the human state of consciousness of that time. If you are of the mindset that you mustn’t ever judge things in order to be more God-like, you must be terribly frustrated with your life and it is to you that I am writing this letter.

Each and every one of us passes judgement on everything in our lives on a continual basis. Some people even pass judgement on the lives of others, and still others thrive on hearing what that might be. Regardless of which category you fall under, there is absolutely nothing wrong with passing judgement along the way, but rather it is how you do it that matters. Pay special attention to this part of that statement: “how you do it”.

If we all do it and each of us is a uniquely different individual with distinctly different points of view, then how could we more effectively express our thoughts and feelings, when passing judgement? If you are going to be judged for judging, how can you become judged for the better, without changing who you really are? Why is it that some people seem to be so popular while others are not? Could it be in how they pass judgement?

Think of the person who you most respect. What is it about this person’s attitude toward life that you most admire? Now think of another person, someone who you least respect; the fact that you are able to do this only proves that you are a judgemental being. What is it about this person that you most despise? Which person would you rather be like? Chances are you would gravitate toward the person you most respect; however, each one is offering you a gift.

The person you most admire is demonstrating for you how you like to be treated, while the other is demonstrating for you the things you find distasteful. The most important thing is how appropriately you respond or react to these demonstrations. There is almost always a better way to respond or react to things. How many times have you said, “If I had it to do over again, I would have…”?

Balanced living comes from within the boundaries we have drawn on what we will accept and what we will not accept. How we demonstrate these acceptances and in-acceptances can greatly influence our emotional state as well as our opportunities in life. It is from this emotional state that we act out our decisions, thus we sow what we reap and, ultimately, reap what we sow. Over time, this cycle of sowing and reaping helps to shape and mould our personality.

Our personality, in short, is either honest, pleasant, enthusiastic, willing, co-operative, intelligent, etc; or it is not. If it is not, there is a better chance than not, that you are unhappy with some part(s) of your life. Should this be the case, the only way to change things for the better is through awareness, need, proper action, persistence and feedback. The more and better you do for others, the more and better you will do for yourself. What you sow, so shall you reap, and always remember, you are constantly being judged on how well you do that.

I welcome your comments and feedback.