Divergent: Blind Justice

Introduction

If we really did exact an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth we’d have a society full of toothless blind people.

Oh there’s no place like home for the holidays. Yet conflict around the holidays is common and getting worse. (Mental Health Tracker from verywellmind.com)

long-distance travel and you arrive agitated

disrupted routines - especially with kids

menu disparities - how come you have to bake 5 pies? And why does Aunt Jane only have to bring rolls? I mean, how hard (or expensive) is that?

75% have holiday concerns

40% expect conflict

37% worry about holiday costs

30% worry about getting or spreading covid-19

28% shipping delays and shortages

22% traveling restrictions

21% worry about loneliness

19% worry about a loved one’s mental health

These are the topics people are anticipating conflict about.

39% Covid-19 pandemic

32% Vaccines

28% Politics

25% the Economy

19% conspiracy theories

18% climate change

67% the Vikings losing close games

If you have a strained relationship, I encourage you to take to words of Jesus and bring them into your life.

The Anatomy of a Peacemaker

More about this online in the small group questions.

the Heart - ask questions about motives, hurts, attitudes, and contributions to the problem. Prepares your heart to forgive.

the Eyes - look at the facts without judgment

the Ears - listen for emotions and hurts

the Mind - create resolutions to the problem

the Hands - demonstrates changes in the heart and the relationship. It puts the reconciliation and resolutions into action.

Transition: Let’s give some real life situations to the test.

Someone cuts you off in traffic. You think…”they are rude and inconsiderate.” But when you do it, it’s because of some circumstance that you can’t control.

The fundamental attribution error.

YouTube video.

We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our circumstances.

We judge others by their character and ourselves by our intentions.

IL: I used to get upset when one of my pastor friends ordered ice cream after lunch. He’s use the phrase, “I’d like to largest medium cone you can give me.” I judged him because he had a character flaw of stinginess. I’m sure he believed it was simply frugality.

1. Judge others as you want to be judged (Mt 7:1-2)

Matthew 7:1–2 NIV

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 5:7 NIV

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 6:12 NIV

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

True disciples show mercy towards one another. We forgive one another.

A person who makes themself and their way of doing things the absolute standard has usurped the place of God because only God can judge this way.

The opposite of this kind of attitude and action is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Those who know the depth of their sin appreciate the act of forgiveness the most.

2. Judge yourself first (Mt 7:3-5)

Matthew 7:3–5 NIV

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This is the way out of judgment.

Hyperbole - to exaggerate something to make a point.

Conflict and Reconciliation. This is an imperative step. It asks, what have I done to contribute to the problem.

Have I made it personal?

Do I even have the right perspective when I don’t know theirs?

Do I really know my own motivation (let alone theirs)?

Have I ignored their pain over the conflict?

Have I damaged them by gossip or slander?

Have I taken this to God and allowed him to work on my life?

Have I asked God to search my heart (Ps 139:23-24)

Psalm 139:23–24 NIV

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

THEN: go and take the log out. We are not excused from helping our siblings in Christ.

Most of us point out splinters only to judge and shame rather than correct.

Much gossip can be stopped if we ask people, “Are your part of the problem - or part of the solution?”

If not, we are only hypocrites.

Hypocrite: Self-righteous people are play-actors on the stage, but behind stage are actually quite unrighteous.

3. Use common sense (Mt 7:6)

Matthew 7:6 NIV

6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Don’t naively believe everything you hear. We have common sense.

Jesus said that we will know people by their fruit.

Matthew 7:15–17 NIV

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Jesus provides balance for his people. He doesn’t mean that we cannot discern character and fruit.

Conclusion

when judgment rises up within you...

Ask if you want to be judged with the same measuring rod.

Ask whether there might be a circumstance at work rather than their character.

Ask yourself if there is something within you that could be guilty of the same thing.

Recognize the price of the payment Christ paid for your sin and ask whether you might be willing to overlook a fault.