Chaplaincy | Do not judge

If there’s one thing everybody hates, it’s feeling like you’re being judged.

You don’t have to be the latest victim of cancel culture to know the feeling; it can happen in that awkward conversation with a neighbour, in that brisk encounter at the shops or in those comments posted on the family WhatsApp chat.

The rise of new media coupled with the pressure of a pandemic certainly hasn’t helped to curb judgemental instincts. Quickly glance across any news outlet or social media platform and you’re likely to find casual condemnation and the tearing down of others in a variety of forms.

And yet, the prevalence of judgementalism doesn’t make us hate it any less.

We hate it when others assume they know everything about us based on a singular impression. No one wants to be put in a box, labelled or written off as a ‘bad parent’, a ‘bad student’, or worst of all, a ‘bad person’, because of something they’ve said or done.

This week in Chapel we’ve been reflecting on what Jesus meant when he said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1)

“Do not judge,” is one of Jesus’ most well-known sayings, recognisable to those who know little else about him.

It is also one of Jesus’ most oft-quoted sayings, usually applied as a defence mechanism. How often have you heard someone utter the words, “Don’t judge me!”?

But is this really how Jesus intended us to apply his teaching?

Click below to view the full message.

Blessings,
Nathan Lee | Assistant Chaplain, Senior School