Why I Don't Fear Judgment | We're Human After All

Sometimes a negative opinion will crush me. My soul shrivels. Face in dirt.


And I have to reach for the Light to stand up again. Find footing in truth.
Drink grace to find peace.


The truth is, we talk about grace, our understanding has grown. [Hasn’t it?] We know we can’t be perfect. We’re human after all. But we still expect perfection from ourselves or from each other.


We still expect perfection from humans. Because, we’re human after all.


I tried perfectionism.
I lived it as a child actually.
Okay – as an adult too – always living on the edge of anxiety.
My peace was found in performance.
Therefore my peace was . . . well, rocky.
And not only dependent on my performance,
but also upon opinions about my performance.


It worked out well sometimes. Deeply entrenching it in my soul’s DNA. It was always exhausting. 


Shaky knees hoping groping for favor.
Tender heart
hoping groping for acceptance.
Insecure soul
hoping groping for acceptance.


Arrive early to avoid anxiety.
Wear the right clothes.
Practice, practice, practice frantically to avoid criticism.
No mistakes.
No messing up.
Please the people, Kathy, make them happy and you will be too.
Consider every possible response or outcome
before choosing,
before speaking,
before acting.


Exhausting. So exhausting.


I’ve met them for coffee, and often heard college students open a conversation about something with these words, “Not to be judgemental, but . . . ” and then express what was on their heart.
Are we all walking on eggshells, fearful of cracking?
Why are we so vulnerable?

Have we, the people chiseled an Eleventh Commandment? “Thou Shalt Not Judge” on stones to throw? Have we accepted the stones in our bones? Stones with words chiseled by those who have sinned – just as we ourselves have?

Can anyone count how many times they’ve seen it:  “Thou Shalt Not Judge!”  in the sharp disagreements stacked upon stacks of opinions beneath opinions on controversial topics?


It’s an easy answer to hurl. “Don’t judge!” It’s so much easier to cement a label on something or someone than it is to open our hearts and listen. Or humble our hearts and yield.


We guard our opinions like mama bears with their cubs. Unrelenting claws.


The thing is, opinions are not laws.


And we make them laws. We who give opinions power over our peace.


But God is the only One whose Word will stand. | Mark 13:31 |
He is the only Just and True Lawgiver. | 
Romans 7:12 |


There is so much to sort through in our lives. Now more than ever. Has the world gone mad?


One cannot unravel the complexities of our freedom in less than 500 words – it takes much time to study God’s word to clarify our liberty from the laws of opinion.


But we have this grace to sail in. We who bear the Truth. Us who are Living Letters.
Flesh being made The Word. | 
John 3:30 |


We are called to judge. | 1 Corinthians 2:15 |
We are warned not to judge. | 
Luke 6:37 |


And He came to rescue us from our enemies and serve Him without fear. | Luke 1:74 |
And we can be our own worst enemy. Expectations on Perfect Performance.
Or we can be our friend’s worst enemy. Expectations on Perfect Performance.


Expectations on anything other than God is idolatry. Exodus 20:3 |


When we value human opinions over God’s word, we worship humans. | Proverbs 29:25 |


Only God sees the whole heart. We only see in part. 1 Corinthians 13:12 |


We, the people of faith, have a shield against all stones. The shield of Faith. | Ephesians 2:8 |


Opinions are not our refuge. God is. | 
Psalm 46:11 |


We, the people of faith . . . well, like Sierra used to sing, the longer we know the Lord the more we know, we got no stones to throw . . . and we have a shield to deflect them when they are hurled against us.


And it’s the Easter truth! We are FREE from judgment!


Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! | John 8:36|
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