In the midst of speaking to ‘respect of persons’, James (chapter 2) challenges the reader when he asks, Are you not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
It is interesting to think of the progression in this text.
- A person sees two individuals – a man attired in ‘goodly apparel’, and ‘a poor man’.
- He mentally acknowledges the difference.
- He judges (passes judgement on) an ‘evil thought’.
- He chooses to say to the goodly appareled man, “Sit here in a good place”, and to the poor man, “Stand there, or sit here under my footstool.”
There is one Judge, and his Word must always take precedence over our thoughts.
In Job 11, Zophar says to Job:
But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you; And that he would shew you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.
What ?!? Because of God’s mercy, none of us are getting what we deserve!
Back to James, he completes the subject with…
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.
Let’s not be judges of evil thoughts. Instead, let’s be merciful… like our Father.
Read it for yourself. 