How Do I Rate?

I hate to shop in stores so I love to shop online. After most transactions, I am asked to "rate" the seller. I usually don't unless I am in a really evil mood after being burned. Then, I torch the seller! (I fell much better now, thank you.)

The other day, I ran into a church rating website (www.churchrater.com.)  Obviously, being the self-centered person that I am, I checked to see if St. Andrew's was on it. It wasn't (whew!) I searched some of the ratings. They are what you might expect. Either a church was praised (above God, to be sure) or was slammed (even Satan didn't bother with the church since the church was doing such a great job, a la Screwtape Letters, in institutionalizing spiritual torpor in worship.)

We love to judge. Maybe judging customer service, even worship, might have some benefit. But, mostly, we judge ourselves (do I measure up?) and others (do you measure up?) Judgment is a dead end when applied to our constant rating of ourselves and others. It is not God's work. Who will you judge today? What judgments of you will you embrace?

 

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 7:2 (NIV)

 

As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. John 12:47 (NIV)

 

For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

Romans 14:9-10 (NIV)

 

I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

1 Corinthians 4:3 (NIV)

 

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?  

James 2:3-4 (NIV)