City Life Starter

I. The Word: Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called, ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

James 4:11 (NIV)

“Brothers and sister, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on it.”

There is a unique correlation between encouragement and Godly growth versus judging another and a hardness of heart. We often forget that Jesus, after calling out Peter that he would deny him three times (Matt. 26:34), did not speak in judgment on him. Jesus did two things, the first was prayer. Luke 22:32 says, “But I have prayed for you, [Peter], that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

After this, you have the beautiful passage from John 21:15-19 in which Jesus forgives and reinstates Peter while encouraging him to stand firm in faith and to lead his flock.
Even Jesus, who had the right to judge, did not do so. He chose to love on Peter through his weakness, to pray for him, and to encourage him. Peter went on to lead the early church and died the death that Jesus himself did, on a cross. Would Peter have led the church if Jesus judged him for the lack of faith? Would Peter have led the church if Jesus did not exhort him in faith? These two questions both give the same answer, no, Peter would not have. This should make us understand that it is just as bad not encouraging or praying for someone as it is judging a fellow brother or sister. Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today. Do not wait until tomorrow so sin will take hold. Love abounds in believers who encourage each other.

It is very easy to judge another fellow brother or sister in what they do. Judgment comes easy to us. We do it as part of our sinful flesh. Though, holding contempt and judgment over someone will end up pushing him or her away from God and others. We do harm, because we take God’s place as the judge, and act as god ourselves. That is why a church of mini-gods will soon fall apart and lose its witness. Many of us came from a prior church that judged our actions or deeds, had it not been for God’s grace and the love of a fellow believer, where would we be today?

We are to encourage all to follow Christ and help guide them in faith. No one lives on this Earth without sin or shame in what we have done. Satan wants us to feel condemned and discouraged and lose our faith in God and what Jesus did on the cross for you. We live to serve God, and in that, we should be encouraging others, because that is exactly what we would want in return. Let us help each other by lifting up through encouragement and prayer, not in judgment.