Lent Devotion 7

This month’s selection for the book club that I have been part of for over 20 years is Race-Baiter by Eric Deggans of the Tampa Bay Times. I highly recommend the book. As I am reading the book, it is glaring that we live in a culture that expects us to judge other people. With the increase in news outlets and information sources due to technology and the internet, we are exposed to vast amounts of information. But we are also exposed to far more opinion than we ever have been. And what is opinion? It is a form of judgment. And all of this judging is creating more and more divisions among people.

We have to have a way to sort through all of the information that comes our way. That is important. So we have to decide about news sources and the credentials of “experts.” But all of this information involves more and more judging.

So I believe that in our culture, instead of getting more discerning, we are getting more judgmental. We jump to conclusions based on limited information. We decide about people before hearing their story. We categorize and stereotype.

In the 16th century spiritual classic, The Cloud of Unknowing, by an unknown writer, we hear about judging. We are reminded of its significance and severity:

“Let me ask you something. Who can judge another person’s actions? . . . Passing judgment on another is a profound responsibility that must never be taken lightly. . .We must never forget that judging another human being is a terrible burden.”

Lent is a time to reflect on our lives and reconnect with God. What would it be like if we did less judging? We might find our burden lighter; our load not as heavy. It may actually be a relief. And instead of playing God by judging, maybe we will find ourselves feeling more closely connected to God, upheld by divine love, and closer to other people as well.

Prayer: It’s easy to fall into the pattern of judging others and making assumptions about them. May we relieve ourselves of this burden. May we realize the weight that judgment has and the toll it takes on others as well as ourselves. May we leave the judging to God who invites us to be made whole through love. Amen.