Judges

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! (2Samuel 6:20)

Between the one who judges another person and the person who judges the one who judges, who is judgier (my word)?

Or do you not realise that telling someone not to judge is actually judging them?

But I want us to look at something that has been happening in our political landscape recently though I wrote a little about it not so long ago.

People have been pouring scorn on people because they are not afraid of proclaiming what they believe. People have been speaking very harshly against ministers because in their understanding they have been compromised.

I do not know whether you realise that faith is first a personal choice. It therefore results in a personal relationship with a deity.

It goes without say then that the determinant of faith is the deity the faith is directed to. And that deity is the one who proves or disproves that faith.

And it is the same with the deity’s servants.

Am I not therefore going overboard when I make myself the judge of a relationship outside of me? Who am I to determine the validity or otherwise of that relationship?

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

We could very easily attract judgment from that deity when we become pedestrian with his worshippers or servants.

Let me narrow this down.

What does the Bible say about those who believe Christ? What does it say about those who serve Him?

I do not think you realise that you can make God qualify the unqualified when you put His name on the line.

What do I mean?

Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12)

God defends His word whoever it is that speaks it.

That is why there are conmen running churches. That is why there are people running churches as their personal fiefdoms or businesses.

God will be where His word is proclaimed. And He will make that word bear fruit.

Making yourself a judge of the quality of vessel is in effect judging the treasure it contains, meaning that you are judging the owner of that treasure.

I am writing this as a minister and it pains me immensely when I see a believer or minister who does not walk according to God’s revelation through His word.

I therefore feel in a very small way the pain God feels when that happens.

But the reality is that God validates His word irrespective of the one speaking it.

You also realise that there is a reward for the carrier of that word just like it says you do not muzzle an ox when it is treading corn.

But God will also judge that messenger who does not walk according to the word he is releasing. And it is only God who can do that.

When you laugh at someone praying because you believe he doesn’t qualify to have his prayers answered, when you pour scorn on someone because he shed tears when he was praying, when you shout that you also pray and they were not doing something special when they were praying, you are actually directing your anger and frustrations to the wrong place because they were not praying to you.

When you dismiss all pastors and bishops because one or all of them supported what you oppose, you are actually dismissing the God whose name they minister through.

Let me be didactic for a moment.

Remember the temple?

Was it God’s house? Of course not.

It was simply a house built in His name and for His glory. We can call it a monument to point people to God.

But it was not like any other house for that simple reason.

That is why praying towards it brought results, not because of the house but because of the One it was called after as we see in 2 Chronicles 6 and 7.

Focusing on the house and forgetting its purpose is the reason God destroyed it as He had earlier done with Shiloh, another place where His name had been identified with.

Michal was judged for making herself the judge of David’s worship.

Are you any different?

The long and short of what I am saying is this; when you make yourself the judge of someone else’s practice of faith, you are opening yourself up to the fightback of the deity the person professes.

And God will surely judge you.

Allow God to judge His own without your feeble interference.