It is very interesting to me that the idea of being called Judgmental is generally viewed very negatively. Most of us if we are called judgmental regard it as a sort of insult or putdown. Recently, I was called judgmental by a good friend. I reacted as though it was an insult or putdown. I came back defensive and said that I had made an inference and not a judgment. I was going to define the difference between the two to prove that I was not being judgmental. Suddenly, I had an epiphany. What if I were judgmental? What is wrong with taking a stand? Why should I be ashamed of being judgmental? Maybe it is the people who cannot take a stand and who are not judgmental that should be ashamed. What of the 90,000,000 people who did not vote in the last election? I suppose they were being Non-judgmental by not taking a stand. Should we applaud their non-judgmentalness? (Is there such a word?)
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that everyone is judgmental. Anyone who says that they are not judgmental is a hypocrite. That is my judgment. I will demonstrate why that is true. Why no one not even Jesus could have gone through life without making a judgment. In fact, Jesus is guilty many times of being a hypocrite. He stayed the crowd from stoning the adulterous woman and said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” He gave the famous Sermon on the Mount where he said “judge not, lest ye be judged” as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically in Matthew 7:1. However Jesus did make judgments and not just of wine but also of people. Note the following instances:
- Pharisees and Scribes – “Hypocrites”
- Passages: Matthew 23:13–33
- Jesus repeatedly denounces the religious leaders, calling them “hypocrites,” “blind guides,” and even “whitewashed tombs.” He judged them for being outwardly pious but inwardly corrupt, exploiting others, and neglecting justice and mercy.
- The Money Changers in the Temple
- Passages: Matthew 21:12–13, John 2:13–16
- Jesus drives merchants and money changers out of the Temple, judging their actions as corrupt and profane. He accuses them of turning a house of prayer into a “den of robbers.”
- Peter – “Get Behind Me, Satan”
- Passage: Matthew 16:21–23
- When Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross, Jesus rebukes him sharply, calling him “Satan” and judging him as setting his mind on human concerns rather than God’s.
- The Rich Young Ruler
- Passage: Mark 10:17–22
- Jesus judges the man’s attachment to wealth when he claims to have kept all the commandments. Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give to the poor, exposing his lack of true devotion.
- The Cities that Rejected Him
- Passages: Matthew 11:20–24
- Jesus condemns cities like Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for witnessing his miracles yet failing to repent. He declares their judgment will be harsher than that of Sodom.
Is Jesus a hypocrite? Why denounce judging when you yourself are guilty of the same sin? I am never again going to defend or deny being judgmental. As it says in Ecclesiastes there is a time for everything under the sun. There is a time for judging and a time for not judging. The key issue is not being judgmental. The key issue is how much you believe in your judgments. How willing are you to accept that you might be wrong? How willing are you to accept that there are other possibilities? How willing are you to accept that you do not have all the facts and now is not the best time for a judgment. No one on the planet earth lives without making judgments. An even better question is how can we make good judgments?
What should a good judgment depend on? Here are some factors:
- Truth and Evidence
- A good judgment should be rooted in facts, not assumptions, rumors, or appearances.
- It requires careful observation, listening, and distinguishing between what is known and what is merely believed.
- In biblical terms, Jesus often said, “Let those with ears to hear, hear”—urging people to seek truth beneath surface appearances.
- Fairness and Consistency
- Good judgments treat people by the same standards, not with favoritism.
- This is why justice is often symbolized as blindfolded—unbiased toward wealth, status, race, or personal connection.
- Consistency builds trust in the one making judgments.
- Compassion and Context
- A judgment shouldn’t only measure what happened but also why.
- Understanding intent, background, and human weakness allows room for mercy and growth.
- Jesus exemplified this balance—he judged hypocrisy harshly, but he forgave and restored those who stumbled in weakness (Peter, the adulterous woman, the thief on the cross).
- Wisdom and Prudence
- Good judgment looks beyond immediate effects to long-term consequences.
- Sometimes the right decision isn’t the easiest or most popular but the one that leads to greater well-being over time.
- Humility
- A final hallmark of good judgment is humility—recognizing our own limitations.
- Even when judging, we should remain aware of our own fallibility. As Jesus said, “First take the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s” (Matthew 7:5).
In short: A good judgment is truthful, fair, compassionate, wise, and humble. It both protects justice and promotes healing.
So go forth friends and be not afraid of judging. Do not allow the critics of the world to dim your beliefs or ideas. There is nothing wrong with judging. It is as much a part of lives as breathing and eating. No one could walk the planet without making judgments. I have made so many judgments about the man now in office that I would need a truck to carry them all. I have been fearless in these judgments while others cower behind closed doors and pray that he will disappear.
Sometimes it takes guts and courage to make a judgment and stick by it.
To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard often misattributed to Aristotle
Aging Capriciously 