A once-popular bumper sticker read: “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” The saying referred to many things: government corruption, unjust wars, neglect of the marginalized. It was an attempt to stir people into action. And that’s a good thing if we’re being motivated by humility and a love of justice. It’s not so good if we’re motivated by harsh anger. That only leads us to destroy rather than create, to tear down rather than build up.
As we see in this parable, God is the only sure judge between right and wrong. And he is not outraged. Seeing all of creation from beginning to end, he alone is able to sort everything out with perfect justice. He alone can tell all the “good seed” from the “weeds.” So we don’t need to go around uprooting every weed we think we spot in his garden. Judgment is God’s job, not ours!
Unfortunately, we all have the capacity to appoint ourselves as judge, jury, and executioner—and sometimes with disastrous consequences. Who knows if the person we just pounced on wasn’t on the verge of a spiritual breakthrough? We may have just pushed him or her farther away from God instead of closer to him. More likely than not, by misjudging someone we have also planted weeds of pride, anger, and isolation in our own hearts. This is why Jesus warns us that the measure we give to other people really does become the measure we will get back (Matthew 7:2).
But we can change our measuring standard! We can ask the Holy Spirit for his patience and understanding, even for those who have wounded us or whose views may offend us. Jesus showed mercy to the people who nailed him to the cross. He can teach us to have that same kind of mercy, that same kind of patience, and that same kind of hope and trust.
If we can treat every person as a child of God with an eternal destiny—someone whom Jesus loved enough to die for—our words will bring healing and light instead of hurt. As long as we are planting seeds of love, we can be sure of a good harvest.
“Lord, it is so easy to be critical! Help me to look beyond people’s faults and to see them as your children. May I always speak the helpful words that they need to hear.”
Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13