Can I watch your goats?

Today, many — Christians and non-Christians, alike — cringe at the word “judge.” They quickly respond, “The Bible says you’re not supposed to judge,” and, “Don’t judge me,” and, “Only God can judge me!” Hmm? How do I say this plainly? It’s all foolishness.

I quickly introduce these people to a hypothetical: Suppose you’re a really great goat farmer. Let’s say you’ve put in a lot of time and energy to raise your goats, and now, for obvious reasons, you’re very protective of your goats. Now suppose that I just got paroled from prison after serving a five-year stretch for violating goats. And let’s say that you are totally aware of my affinity for goats and my recent past because, after all, I had to register in the community as a goat offender. (LOL. Bear with me.) Now suppose the reality is that you are tired, you’ve worked long hours, and you really do need a break. Now suppose I approach you with, “Man, you look really tired. You need a vacation. Why don’t you take a couple of weeks off?” And then, as I stand there wide-eyed and practically drooling, I ask, “Can I watch your goats?” (LOL, you should see these people’s faces.)

I press them, “Seriously, can I watch your goats?” Not one person in these hypotheticals has given me permission to watch their goats. They flatly say no. I pounce on them. “Are you judging me?!!” They stammer a bit, but they hold. I demand an answer. “Why can’t I watch your goats?!!” They basically try to explain that I’ve proven that I have a weakness for goats and that I’m not ready. I clarify that this is judgment, and it’s okay!

Part of the problem today is that so many have abused that one verse, Matthew 7:1 (although they couldn’t find it in the Bible), to defend their unwillingness, ignorance, and inability to confront and get involved. I explain that we are called “to judge,” but that  there are two basic definitions of “judge” — to CONDEMN or to EVALUATE. None of us are called to condemn (destroy) anything. However, all of us are called to evaluate everything. Jesus said, “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:24) But you don’t hear that very often, do you?

Also understand that we already judge, quite frequently — when choosing a movie, a mate, a song, a house, a car, a church, a restaurant, a school, a political candidate, when promoting someone, when trusting someone, etc. But, are we judging (evaluating) correctly? To “judge correctly” requires the Word of God and maturity. Hebrews 5:12-14 exhorts Believers towards maturity — from milk to meat — so we can better discern (judge) between good and evil. How else will one be able to recognize good from bad, truth from lie, or right from wrong?

So the next time you hear, “You’re not supposed to judge,” just ask them, “Can I watch your goats?”