Righteous Judgment

Luke 7:36‑50  •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 6
Listen from:
Luke 7:36-50
There is one thing to be observed in this passage which turns to us for searching and warning. Jesus judged righteous judgment. He was not to be flattered. He did not try either persons or circumstances in reference to Himself. That is where we so commonly fail in all our judgments. We see objects, whether persons or things, much in our own light. How have these things affected ourselves? How have these people treated us? These are the inquiries of the heart; and, in the answer they get, the judgment is too commonly formed. We are flattered into good thoughts of people, and slighted into hard ones. Jesus was not such a one. The Pharisee's compliment and good fare did not affect His judgment on the whole scene in his house. The friendliness of a social hour could not relax the righteousness of His sense of things, as Peter's recent confession, on another occasion, did not hinder the rebuke that Peter's worldliness deserved. Jesus was not to be flattered. Like the God of Israel in old times, His ark may be boasted in and brought into the battle with a shout, but He is not to be flattered by this. Israel shall fall for their unrighteousness (1 Sam. 4).
What a lesson for us! What reason have we to guard against the judgments of self-love! against the trying and weighing of things or persons, in relation to ourselves! This firm, unswerving mind of Jesus may be our encouragement, as well as our pattern, in this; and we may pray that neither this world's flattery nor spite move us from having our thoughts as before the Lord all the day!