A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Chris Musgrove of Future Now)
Scripture for the Day – November 20, 2019
John 7:24: Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
The Amplified Bible of John 7:24 says, “Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.”
Romans 14:13 says, “Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.”
I Corinthians 4:5 says, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”
A friend shared something with me once that brought light to these verses. He told me God had taught him over the years about judging people not based on appearance or what they say or do. He said he had learned God would bring all kinds of people into his life, and he had learned something from all of them. He also had learned to treat everybody the same and to act as if they were sent by God. As he got to know the people God was bringing across his path, he realized God was using him to minister to them or vice-versa.
He said recently he had met a guy named David. He was a little rough around the edges, but there was something about him that he liked. He said he just became a friend to him and didn’t try to question him on his faith in God. But for some reason out of the blue David began to tell him how God had spoken to him recently. He related how he was driving and saw a man asleep on a bench at a bus stop in town. He said he felt like God spoke to him to help the man, so he told God if He would cause that man to get up and walk across the street to the parking lot, he would help him. He turned around and went back. The man was standing in the parking lot across the street, so he pulled over to him and let down the window. He then called out to the man. He specifically asked him why he got up from the bench and walk across the street. The man proceeded to tell him that for some reason he woke up and he had an urge to walk across the street. But he didn’t know why.
David then reached in his pocket and handed him some cash. He then told him that God told him to give him the cash, but he asked God to have him get up from the bench and walk across the street and he would do it. God was the one who woke you up and got you to walk across the street to get blessed with the cash. My friend told me that he was blessed by David’s story and it made him realize not to judge people because they seemed a little rough.
Our steps are ordered of the Lord, so God is putting people in our path.
