Romans 2:1-4
Scripture: Romans 2:1-4 (ESV) “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
The Devotion: Paul’s message in Romans 2 serves as a stark mirror to those of us who might be quick to judge others. It’s a humbling reminder that when we point out faults in others, we’re often guilty of the same or similar missteps. This passage isn’t just about the act of judging. Rather this passage reminds us how blind we are to our own sin. This blindness is often only revealed when we judge others, because our hypocrisy condemns us. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to look in and say “isn’t this just the pot calling the kettle black?” This is what Paul does in our passage.
Is it not true, that we have a tendency to judge others harshly while excusing our own sin? Is this not a trap all of us have fallen into. When the other person sins, it is because they are a bad person, but when we sin there always seems to be some excuse or extenuating circumstance we come up with! Paul holds up a mirror to help us come to terms with our own shortcomings.
So what is the answer?
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This passage redirects our gaze to something far more constructive than judgment: Paul points us to the kindness, grace, and patience of God. God invites us, through this passage to change our ways, by getting us to look at his ways and his character.
God’s patience with our sin, calls to recognize our own need for grace and to extend that grace to others. The real power to change, both in ourselves and in our relationships with others, comes not from our judgment but from experiencing and sharing the transformative kindness of God.
Of course, God shows his kindness to us foremost in Jesus. We were rightly judged by God, and found wanting. But Jesus takes that judgement for us so that we can in fact stand before God, unashamed and unafraid. Amazing! And because Jesus took our judgement, we are set free to judge rightly – looking at the beam in our own eye first, before pointing out the speck in our brother or sisters.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your patience, kindness, and forbearance with us. Help us to see our own faults as clearly as we see the faults in others and use this to lead us to repentance. Teach us to extend Your grace to those around us. May we be motivated by Your love to change our ways and to encourage others with the same patience and kindness You’ve shown us. Amen.
Challenge for the Day: Today, catch yourself if you start to judge someone else. Take a moment to reflect on your own actions and attitudes. Are there areas in your life where you need to experience God’s kindness and patience? Focus on showing kindness or patience to someone you might have judged, reflecting God’s grace in your interactions. Let this act of grace be a step towards embracing the repentance and transformation God offers.