We’re Not Our Own Best Judges

²Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. (1 Corinthians 4:2-4)

     As we grow up, we learn to make more of our own decisions. We form our own views. We hopefully grow in wisdom and discernment. There is something good about that. God does not want us tossed around by everyone else’s opinions. He wants us rooted in his Word, confident in who we are as . . . . his children, and able to judge what is good and right.

     But there is also danger in making ourselves the final judge. A 90s sitcom centered on the life of a teenager had a theme song that expressed that idea of being independent: “You’re not the boss of me now.” But the same song also admitted, “I like this mess I’ve made so far.” Honestly, that is often what happens when we insist on running life our own way. We can make a mess of things.

     Paul knew that other people’s judgments were not final. He said, “I care very little if I am judged by you.” But then he went even further and added, “I do not even judge myself.” His conscience was clear, but that did not prove him innocent. “It is the Lord who judges me.”

     That is humbling, but it is also comforting. We are not at the mercy of everyone’s opinions. We are not even trapped inside our own limited judgment or constant attempts to justify ourselves. We look to the Lord, the Judge who is perfect in justice and perfect in love.

     In Christ, we have been judged to be redeemed, forgiven, loved, and his own forever. Then we are faithful servants, looking first to God’s Word as our guide.