I was watching The Project this week and they were talking about the history making event that was the meeting of Donald Trump, American President and Kim Jong Un, North Korean leader, who is probably one of the most feared men on the planet because of his access to nuclear weaponry.
Why I bring this up, is because I remember Waleed, Co Host of The Project ask his fellow panel members this question. “if this event was between the former president Barrack Obama and the North Korean leader would our reaction be different?” Peter Helier replied “probably”
Do we bless the peacemakers
The focus of the meeting was about reducing the likelihood of war breaking out between these two nations, powerful because of their nuclear weaponry. So the focus was about “Peace”. Jesus says blessed are the peacemakers and this is what the meeting was all about. Isn’t this a good thing for our world, yet our judgements suggest that’s is all a load of s*%t.
It’s funny how we are very quick to judge someone that we don’t really know. We might think we know that person, but really our only understanding is from hearsay, media and our judgments made up in our own mind. I think in my opinion we have done this in this situation. We seem to judge these two world leaders by the information or misinformation that is fed to us through our screens.
From what I understand: since Trump has been in power there has significant increase in the stability of the nation. Whether that be economically or socially, his reign and his team have somehow turned a downward ship in upward direction.
Why are we so quick to judge?
So where does our judgment come from? Is it the misdemeanours of action that is not becoming to a person that is supposed to president, or is it the fact that Trump is a multi-billionaire businessman and our immediate assumption is he is dodgy?
Let’s turn the focus back to us and ask this question. Have you ever made a mistake? Have you ever treated someone badly? Have you ever judged someone before even knowing them? Well, speaking for myself I know I have and if I am really honest the only one that truly can stand up to these questions and still be not guilty of any of them is Jesus.
Remember the story in John Chapter 8 where Jesus confronts the religious with this exact question. It was about a woman, who by no means had led a sinless life and He, Jesus, challenges the crowd of religious leaders to stone her only if they had not sinned ever. It’s the drawing the line in the sand story. The result is that no one could throw a stone and the woman survived because they were unable to say they had lived sinlessly.
Sin, Grace and Righteousness
So let me very quickly define sin. Sin is anything that is opposite or disobedient to God’s set instructions. That’s right, anything. There is no order of higher punishment when it comes to what sin is worse than another. Sin is sin. Why is this the case, well only God knows and I guess that’s why we are so thankful that a very key part of God’s ways is grace.
So what’s grace? Once again very quickly this is God’s choice to pardon us of our sins, any sin despite us really deserving some kind of punishment. He chose to deliver this to us through the incredible act of Jesus (Yeshua) on the cross of Calvary.
If we turn our attention back to our lives, our choices and our actions and given this understanding of sin and grace we are probably in no better place than to judge another.
Remember in the sermon on the mount Jesus challenges us to stop looking at the speck in another’s eyes because there might be a plank of wood in ours. Jesus is simply saying that our first point of call is not to judge another, but actually judge ourselves first and when it comes to judging ourselves, we hand over this to God who has by his grace deemed us to be ‘righteous’ because of Christ.
So if we are then righteous despite our speck, let us allow the only one truly able to judge another be responsible for that role. Our role as his children is entirely about love and being channels of this in whatever shape, form or action we can do. Can you work out the answer about the other? That is right they are righteous too! Why? Because John Chapter 3, verse 16, that famous verse you often see on billboards, is about all God’s children, not just the holy huddle. This includes those two people that have been televised across the world this week, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.
Are you judging a tree by its fruit or what it looks like?
So let me go back to the start where I raised the question that Waleed spoke out on The Project. Would it be different if it was Barack Obama? Given that most people liked Barrack because his gentle, humble and well-spoken manner in his time as President is what typifies someone in this position. Donald Trump does not fit this stereotype, but what we do know is that you can only judge a tree by its fruit and what happened this week in Singapore between these two country leaders was monumental and the first time in History.
Maybe we need to give some grace and start our perceptions and judgments from a place that we are judged to be righteous because of Jesus. Then we can allow God to raise up the leaders that he calls out and our response is to say prayers and words of encouragement like “blessed are the peacemakers” to people like Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.
After all God does not look at outward appearance. He looks at the heart and so should we. (1 Samuel Chapter 16, verse 7).
Justin Monaghan is currently launching as a professional prophetic artist under the label JR Faith Creations and works as corporate team builder all over Australia. He is married to Liana and lives at the beautiful beach of Port Willunga. They journey with the creatives in their lives to see them rise up to their full potential for the Kingdom of God.
Married to the amazing Liana Monaghan for 13 years, a fellow creative that is just trying to release a little bit of heaven this side of eternity. How do I do that? I draw, paint, love people and surf my way through the streets and beaches of South Australia.