John 7:24

"Do not judge by appearances, but judge by right judgment" (John 7:24).

Question:

I am confused because some suggest that we should not judge at all.

Comment:

You're absolutely right, of course. Jesus himself advised his listeners many times to 'judge not.' The challenge here, I think, is when subtle differences in meaning are passed through several translators. Important distinctions can be lost. Here the issue is an important distinction between 'judgment' and 'discernment.' Discernment is an essential quality as we move through this human experience; it is simply recognizing choices. There is no emotion involved, no blame, no assumption of right and wrong. You may discern as you drive, for instance, that one route will be quicker than another. This doesn't make the longer route bad; it's a question of recognizing that one option will serve you better than the other. Judgment, on the other hand, is heavily laden with emotions--anger, blame, shame, guilt, and many others. We can recognize judgment because it has a draining effect--physically, mentally, and emotionally. This judgment  represents our ego mind's efforts to interpret for us. It's never appropriate, and it's never useful. It can be very freeing to recognize the distinction between judgment and discernment, to release the former and relax into the helpful guidance offered by the latter.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed