a woman in front of a sign that reads, 'man is destined to die once and then face judgement'
## Psalm 119:9-16; Haggai 2:1-9, 20-23; John 12:34-50
“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” (John 12:47-50)

If there’s a gospel that I am consistently surprised by it is the gospel of John. John simply takes such a different angle from the other gospels. His approach is unique and so it almost always seems to come up from behind and shock me.

This passage is no different.

We find ourselves in Jesus' last days and this is one of the last times that he interacts with the religious elite of his day prior to his arrest and trial and crucifixion.

The first sentence is what grabs my attention.

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person.”

Wait? What? Why?

“For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”

Mind. Blown.

It seems to me that if anyone could judge people it is Jesus, is it not? Yet, he says he won’t judge. Jesus is leaving that to the Father. More importantly, I think, he is leaving the judgement for a different and time and place. There will be a judgement. But, this judgement comes at the end, the last day.

Why?

It seems to me that this is because the Godhead works in totality, not in glimpses.

I think also, by not judging in the moment there is room and space for growth. The goal is to save the world not judge the world.

Do you think that there are people in your life that are hearing the words of Jesus but not doing them?

How are you responding? With judgement? With condescension? With love? With grace? With patience? With compassion?

It seems to me that I have to a much better job of loving those who I judge to be falling short because judgement is not the goal. The heart of Jesus was for people to be reconciled, to be saved, to be restored. What is my heart? If it is in line with Jesus' then I need to move about this world with the same posture as Jesus. That is, one of love, grace, patience, and compassion.