“Who Am I To Judge?”

Arlen Hollinshead

Matthew 7: 1-5

When Michael first approached me about filling in today, I was a bit hesitant. But, he's rather persuasive! Well, actually, he's really good at spreading the you-know-what on really thick! And, as Linnea Good sang to us three weeks ago, "Who Am I To Say No?" After I agreed, I kind of put things off, as I had no idea what my topic would be. Some would call that "procrastination," but I prefer to think of it in the terms our dear friend, Bob Harvey, used a couple years ago. He thought "procrastinating" was a rather harsh term and preferred to think of it as "practicing the art of selective postponement!" In talking with my daughter one day, she told me about something my 4-year-old grandson had done and it was an "aha" moment--I knew then what the topic for today would be. Out of the mouths of babes!

So, I ask you, how many here today can honestly say, "I have never incorrectly judged someone without knowing all the facts?" Well, welcome to the club! I'm probably not totally there yet, but I've been much more cautious in recent years, due to some judgmental faux pas over the years.

Case in point # 1: in the lobby prior to a show at the Elsinore, I saw a young man with greasy, long black hair in a pony tail, wearing a T-shirt with holes in it, baggy pants and a long lanyard falling from his pocket to his knee. Granted, the Elsinore isn't the Metropolitan Opera, or the Kennedy Center, but, still, some discretion in attire is warranted. Seeing the same guy during intermission, I caught bits of his conversation with an Elsinore employee--just enough to know the guy was actually a roadie for the group performing that night. Well, sure, one doesn't wear a tux to crawl around changing sets and moving equipment! Getting a closer look at the lanyard, I saw the letters "wwjd" printed around the length of it--the "What would Jesus do?" monogram. Well, what WOULD Jesus do? Certainly he wouldn't judge someone solely by the clothes he wore! I'm reminded of that guy, John the Baptist, wearing a dirty, smelly camel-skin robe, his frizzy hair flying everywhere, while he ate locusts! Seems he accomplished something rather noteworthy--oh, yeah, he baptized the Son of God! Colossians 3:14 tells us, "And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us together in perfect harmony." So, who am I to judge?

Case in point # 2: in the mid- to late-90's, we used to have Mardis Gras talent shows here and I was frequently asked to emcee them. One year, a group of four high-school boys had a band which was going to perform and, during an afternoon walk-through, one of the guys, by the way he walked, talked and acted, gave me the impression he was rather hung-up on himself--the cat's meow, so to speak. It brought to mind Kylie's rule: The smallest package in the world is a person wrapped up in himself! After the show, I was gathering my things when the guys came up to get their instruments and sound equipment and this kid turned around to the departing audience and said, "By the way, we do give autographs." Smart aleck! So, I decided to call his bluff, giving him a piece of paper and saying, "I'll take one of those autographs." He took the paper, wrote something and handed it back to me. It read, "Keep it real. Matt." Under that, he had written "Philippians 4:13." That's the verse which says, "For I can do everything with the help of Christ, who gives me the strength I need." Well, Hollinshead, you did it again! Obviously this young man had some exposure to religion and, to be able to quote book, chapter and verse off the top of his head, this Scripture must have had special meaning to him. So, who am I to judge? I should have been more aware of the gist of what I Timothy 4:12 says: "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young." And, by the way, I cut that "autograph" out, put it in a small frame and, to this day, it sits prominently displayed in my bedroom, as a daily reminder I shouldn't be so smug!

Case in point # 3: while running some errands, I decided to go to Fred Meyer and pick up some little item I knew I just had to have. Pulling into a parking space, I noticed the car in the next slot had the hood up. About that time, a young man, probably late teens, came from the other side and began looking under the hood. He was fairly good-looking, with medium-length dirty blonde hair, but with his jeans riding so low, at least four to six inches of his boxers stuck out above them! He wasn't wearing a shirt and his upper body had smudges of grease, or dirt. He turned so I got a front view of him and I saw he had a tattoo around his navel, a stone of some sort IN his navel and, to be a bit graphic here, he had small barbells pierced through both his nipples! My first reaction was, "Ewww! Why?!" Getting out of the car, I was going to sneak into the store, when I felt a nudge saying, "Okay, Arlen, do the right thing here." So I went over to him, asked about the problem and he said he thought it was the battery. With big, blue pleading eyes, he asked if I had jumper cables. Because I didn't want to get involved with a grungy guy, "accessorized" as he was, I started to tell a little white lie, when I felt that nudge again. Well, actually, it was more like a "thump!" So, I got the jumper cables, we hooked them up, I started my rig, he started his car and, as we were disconnecting things, he thrust out his hand to shake mine and said, "Thanks, man, you're an angel of mercy! How much do I owe you?" After I recovered from the shock of what he had said and done, I replied, "Oh, you don't owe me anything You can repay me two ways--first, get that battery fixed right away and, second, if you see someone else having car problems, help them." You know, the "Pay It Forward" philosophy. He grinned, "Oh, I will. Thanks, Dude!" He drove off and I walked into the store feeling pretty good! It even felt rather good getting called "dude" by some kid young enough to be my grandson! And I had so erroneously judged him by how he looked and what he had done to his body! In I Samuel 16:7, we are reminded, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance or height--the Lord doesn't make decisions the way you do. People judge by outside appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions." Again, who am I to judge?

Based on these events, I've strived very hard not to be quite so hasty to judge others, without knowing all the facts--especially about who they are the inside--and I would hope others return the favor regarding me! There are numerous other caveats about making judgments. One is to not judge on the basis of occupation. Mark 6:2-3 gives us an insight. "The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and many who heard him were astonished. They asked, 'Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? He's just the carpenter... JUST A CARPENTER? Well, I think he constructed something rather significant--and it's lasted over 2000 years. And it wasn't made in China! Oops, am I being judgmental?

Nor should we judge based on where a person lives, or was born. From John 1:46, "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanial. “Can ANYTHING good come from THERE?” Well, I think we ALL know the answer to that. And I want you to remember this the next time you even think about giving me static because my first home was in Rufus!!

We should not judge a whole group on the actions, or attitude, of one person in that group. The old "guilt by association" syndrome. Nor on the basis of one's financial status. Or age. Or the color of one's skin, which denotes race, or ethnicity. Or their accents. Or those who have physical or mental challenges, whether real, or perceived by others. And we shouldn't judge others because of the religion they choose to follow, even if they may think and practice things differently than we do. In my own case, I was baptized in the Presbyterian Community Church in Moro. In Helix and Monmouth, I think I was a Baptist! In Terrebonne, I was non-denominational. In Metolius, I was a Quaker, or Friend. During my college years, I was a teenage-boy-away-from- home religious rebel! In Bend, I slowly worked my way into the Methodist Church, finally transferring my membership there and ultimately here to Morningside. Sorry, folks! With that background, who am I to judge one's religion? Romans 14:10 reminds us, "So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God."

Of course, being a Reconciling Congregation, WE all know we are not to judge people based on their sexual orientation, or gender identity. People who do so really raise my hackles! There was a young man I really liked who was one of my daughter's best friends and strongest supporters during high school. I didn't find out until after the fact he was gay, but didn't feel he could "come out" until after graduation and he had gone to college in New York, because he feared the harassment, put-downs and possibly even violence which might come his way from those who inappropriately judge others on any facet of their sexual orientation. The good news is he has done well as a fashion designer, having even done work for some of entertainment's movers and shakers! Who am I to judge?

The list could go on, but I won't. And aren't you glad?!

I want to close now by re-reading today's Scripture, but this time using Eugene Peterson's MESSAGE, which reads, "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's the whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."

So, now, for us, it's a matter of not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. Will you walk with me? If you won't, who am I to judge?

Shalom.