But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. - book of 1 Samuel.
Have you ever met Christians who consider themselves worthy to judge others while pruning themselves? Despite past offenses that may have taken place long ago, and despite not having seen you in all those years, they claim the right to pass judgment based on nothing more than their white-washed consciences while their hearts are caked with bitterness and hypocrisy. There seem to be more than a few in every congregation that call upon the name of the Lord. Actually, the Lord calls out such hypocrisy by comparing the speck in the accused eye as opposed to a beam in the accuser’s eye. Hypocrisy is a standard fare among those who eat at the table of fellowship. So the question begs, where is the love of Christ in such a heart? If you love your neighbor, you don’t keep a little black book in your breast pocket, but a divisive tongue is the ruling pen in such a believer's heart. Therefore, they remain blind and in their sins despite righteous looks. And with whatever measure they presumptuously use to judge another, that same exact rule will apply to them, for hypocrisy is the bane of the self-righteous Christian.
Love does not keep a scorecard; it does not harbor resentment nor point the accusing finger, makes no demands, and forgives all because Christ's love is poured into the heart of those who love the Lord. But when envy, bitterness, unforgiveness, arrogance, hypocrisy, and gall are present, then the love of Christ is not in them, and they are called out as liars and pretentious, and the truth is not in them. And the light in them is indeed dark and has closed their eyes to their wicked works. Hypocrisy has no better bedmate than self-righteousness. It takes a lot of gall to confess Christ while practicing hypocrisy.
But God be praised for He does not judge on the past when the blood of His Son has covered the repentant sinner, and He looks into the heart and knows the kind of spirit that resides within. The heart is what matters, not the outward appearance. The wagging tongues will always claim to know something, but that tongue is poisonous and filled with all kinds of bitterness and gall. It is used to divide the brethren and to appoint seats according to looks. Such believers can't judge with righteous judgment, for they are party to the accusers of the brethren. How is it then possible to walk in love and yet practice evil? Can a freshwater spring bring forth salt water, or can a fig tree produce thorns? How can such believers produce fruits worthy of repentance when walking in open sin? It is impossible.
To be a follower of Christ, by definition, is by choice. To be a hypocrite is also a choice, and the Lord will judge both the heart and the words of their mouths. So, it would behoove the judge of the brethren to forsake that way, put aside the sins that lay as a mantle upon the shoulder, and walk humbly before the Lord, for nothing is impossible with God. He can even change his heart, whereas a man cannot do anything except accuse with haughty eyes and an uplifted spirit of self-incrimination behind the veil of hypocrisy.
When Samuel was told to go to the house of Jessie to anoint the new king of Israel, Samuel did as all are wont to do, looked through the eyes to make the pick, for he assumed that the new king would have a noble and influential figure. Perhaps as tall and broad-shouldered as Saul, maybe an experienced soldier, but to his surprise none of the sons of Jessie presented did the Lord choose, However, to Samuel’s astonishment the Lord chose a ruddy-faced young lad, the youngest of the sons of Jessie, small in stature who tended the sheep. Sheepherders are among the bravest sort, facing bears, wolves, lions in the wilderness, thieves, and groups of raiders, so bravery was already present in the young lad. But what set David apart was his love for God, which was what God knew and saw in him. And God knows the heart, and that is what He saw, and that is why He called Samuel to anoint him as the next king of Israel. Although it would be years before David became king over a united Israel, for he had to endure many trials and tests, the Lord would sustain him through it all because David kept himself humble and trusted God with all his heart and strength.
Nothing has changed today; God still looks into the heart when He calls a man or woman to His Son, Jesus Christ, and now as then, rejection will be a part of the process, for many are called, but few are chosen. And who are the chosen but those who seek to do the will of the Lord with all of their hearts, minds, souls, and strength? Love, obedience, and faith are the three that bind the believer to the Christ of God, not the works of the flesh, nor the appearance or the intellect. By playing the role of a judge among the brethren, such a believer exhibits a shallow depth of character coupled with a lack of compassion and understanding, blinded by their own hypocrisy and dismal walk of love.
The heart is the center of man and the source of all he is, for from within issue the thoughts that direct his actions, and hypocrisy is one of them. But this should not be found among the brethren, for it sows discord, bitterness, envy, jealousy, and an overbearing spirit because the Lord hates seven things, and one of them is a gossip that divides the brethren. And a spirit of judgment is a divider of the brethren. Take heed that you do not devour and consume one another with such a wicked spirit, but cast such acts aside and walk in love and purity, esteeming the other more than yourself, forgiving each other from the heart, not making examples of others to justify your righteousness, for love brings restoration. In contrast, accusations harden hearts, fomenting a spirit of unbelief, which in turn causes another sheep to wander off, and the Lord is not blind to the loss of the sheep, especially at the hands of a self-appointed judge.
Therefore, take heed to the words coming out of your mouths lest you stir up the anger of the Lord and feel His wrath and learn His discipline the hard way, for He does not take lightly those who strike the sheep needlessly and cause pain and sorrow because you feel the right to judge and condemn others is your prerogative. With what measure you judge another, the exact same will be applied to you.
I remain a brother in the Lord Jesus Christ to the brethren.
Edward L Ordway