The Judgement Factor

I am not God.  Seems quite obvious to you.  But, I need a reminder every now and then.  It gets so comfortable for me to complain about how other people do things.  I have the audacity to think that my way is the best or only way and everyone else's is skewed somehow if it does not follow my way of thinking.  I have realized lately that my judgement factor on others has been too harsh and is shameful.  Many of us are trying hard to be obedient to His calling.  When I say someone is wrong, then I am attempting to be omniscient.  There is only One who is omniscient...and suffice to say, it is not me.  (I am sorry if I have shocked you!) :) 

Being a parent, it is easy to judge other parents and how they raise their children.  When their style does not match mine closely I can get thoughts of "if only they did this differently".  I do not want to carry around those feelings.  I want to carry around feelings of compassion toward the children and the parents.  In an honest evaluation, it is quite obvious that parents are never going to agree with other parents 100% in their upbringing of children.  It is also quite obvious that no set of children are exactly like another set of children.  We were all created uniquely in God's image and He has blessed us with the family he gave us and hand picked the children especially for our family's.  It is easy to say "You are wrong to..." and "if only..."  in regards to how parents parent their children.   But, those children have different demeanors and attitudes from my children.  What may work for mine, may not work for yours...and what works for yours may not work for mine.

It is not my place to judge your family, nor is it your place to judge mine.  Psalm 96:13 says: Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.  So, according to this verse, it is not for us to judge, but it IS my place to rejoice before the Lord.  I need to leave the judging to the true Judge.  The God of the Heavens and Earth.  The God of Creation.  The Maker of families and the human race.  I did not make the world and do not know the situations that God is working on in each family.  I do know that He will be judging with equity (the achievement of fairness). 

I have been thinking about this topic for quite a while now.  I want to have boldness if God wants to use me, but I want to know the difference between boldness and animadversion.   I hope that I am not alone in this whole judgement discussion and working on humility and parting ways with sinful thoughts...well, rethinking that...I hope that I AM alone and that now we can move on and REJOICE before the Lord together!!