In this passage about judging others, verse 2 always makes me smile when Paul says “the weak” only eat vegetables. This serves as a reminder that the biblical authors were anointed, yes, but still real people who were shaped by their upbringing and by the cultural norms of their day. Even when he was writing about not judging others, Paul was judging others. We all struggle with this. For me, when I am judging others, it usually comes back to either my own insecurity or my failure – my failure to listen, my failure to learn, or my failure to love.
How can we do a better job of understanding the source of our judgment and how can we do a better job of understanding what has led a person to behave or believe in a certain way? How could understanding a person’s motivating factors help us to love them better? Think of an individual or a group of people you are tempted to judge. What might motivate them to behave or believe in a certain way? How might considering this affect the way you see and respond to them?
Offer a prayer of blessing for this person or group of people.