It is not easy to accurately judge another human being. Yet
we are subject to such judgments throughout our life, seemingly from first
breath to the last. Within the Abrahamic religions, judgment was a significant aspect
of early Judaism, which codified specific do’s and don’t’s, attached to specified
punishments. The idea of cumulative
judgment was also established, recording our history of “good” and “bad” deeds and
how they netted out over our lifetime.
Jewish law was initially the basis for God’s judgment of us.
But, human beings being as they are, these rules quickly became the basis for
human beings’ judgments of each other. Judgments that were highly susceptible
to human frailty and deviousness. Judgments that became exclusively dual: right
versus wrong; good versus bad; acceptable versus unacceptable. Either/or. No
middle ground. No gray areas.
A force such as judgment was also effective for creating
earthly power structures and maintaining group control. We have thusly become
very good at using this judgment tool for our own designs, even as we color it
in a “divine will” or “greater good” dressing. This judgmental framework flowed
naturally from its Jewish roots into Christian and Islamic dogma and practice.
Then Jesus came along into this structure and said, “Judge
not, that ye also be not judged,” (Mth. 7:1), thereby thoroughly upending the
accepted system in place. “Judge not” is hardly compatible with a power and
control social architecture. When we lose that convenient list of do’s and
don’t’s, we are called upon instead to go into that difficult personal territory
of compassion and humility. We have to make choices about how we live, rather
than being able to conveniently rely on an external manual of conduct. The
solid ground beneath our feet turns to mush, while our opportunity to grow as
mature individuals presents itself.
To complicate this further, we are required to make many choices
every day over a multitude of topics just to transact the daily business of
life. We make choices about “things”: what foods to eat; what clothes to wear;
what purchases to make. We make choices about “intangible things”: whom to
marry; what career to pursue; where to live; what friends to make. We make choices
about “ideas”: our religious beliefs; our political opinions; our understanding
of Truth itself. Each of these choices potentially opens a door of judgment as
to their “rightness.”
We also make – almost reflexively – judgments of others, by
judging the choices they have made for themselves. Yes, there are times when we
need to assess others, e.g. their job qualifications, or their output, or their
actions and culpability for same. But such assessments often slide into more
profound judgments as to one’s worth, one’s value, as a human being. Judgments
often made on the basis of what one would choose for him-/herself rather than
what is truly right for another. Mistakes, errors in decision-making, our individual
actions that cause negative consequences are all part of our humanness. All
part of our baggage we might like to take back and reverse but cannot.
Each of us is entitled to a reservoir allotment of excused “oops”;
hopefully we do not exceed that capacity. That reservoir is the source of the graciousness
and compassion we extend to our self and to each other. For our own benefit,
and the benefit of others, we would do well to be cautious and sparing in our
judgment-making. At the very least, we can hold our tongue from speaking our
negativity about the judgments arising in our mind. We can contain our judgment
to those most important of things that may arise, and not the trivial. We can
remember how to mind our own business when there are no real consequences to
us. We can acknowledge that there but for grace go I.
© 2018
Randy Bell www.OurSpiritualWay.blogspot.com
