How to Judge Properly

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WE, of course, have heard Christ telling us: “Do not judge, or you will be judged. For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you…” (Mt 7,1-2)

We have to understand these words of Christ well. It’s not that we are not meant to make judgments. That is impossible since we can only know something or someone the moment we make some judgments. We are actually meant to judge, but to judge properly.

And to judge properly means that we should start always from the indispensable basis that God is the creator of everything and of everyone and he loves all of them irrespective of how they are to him. That should also be how we base our judgments, since we are God’s image and likeness, sharers of his life and nature. Irrespective of our differences, conflicts, biases, etc., our judgments should first spring from charity.

Of course, in our daily affairs, our judgments usually come from some immediate reasons or standards—the looks and feel of something or someone, the trends, fashion and culture of the time, the legal systems, etc. All of these have their degree of validity. But we should never rely completely on them. They are never perfect. They can only go so far in terms of what proper judgments should be.

We should make the effort to inspire our judgments with charity which, by the way, does not do away with what is right and wrong, what is true and false, etc. Charity goes beyond them. It is willing to show understanding and compassion with everyone, to offer mercy, to bear the burdens and mistakes of the others. It is even willing to offer one’s life for the sake of proper judgments.

We need to train ourselves in this way of making judgments, and also in training others to do the same. Nowadays, with all the “Mariteses” around and the pervading culture of spreading all kinds of spins and narratives in the areas of journalism, politics, etc., we need to make extra effort to be protected from the pressure of making rash judgments.

But more than just being protective and resistant to this tendency of making rash judgments, we should enhance our duty to take the initiative to make charitable judgments of everyone and everything.

That means that we should try to think well of everyone and of everything. Even if we see defects, mistakes and other forms of evil, our judgment should remain charitable rather than simply condemnatory. Of course, we should keep the distinction between what is right and wrong, good and evil.

When we are faced with any form of evil, let us remember that we actually are given a golden opportunity to grow in charity. That should be the attitude to have in that kind of situation. Obviously, we would initially feel bad and can fall into anger and the like when evil comes our way. But we should not stay long there. We have to convert that situation into an occasion to be more charitable.

For this to take place, we obviously need to identify ourselves more closely with Christ who is the personification of charity and sound judgments. He gives us the proper example of how to be charitable in our judgments and reactions to the various events and conditions of our life.

Let’s realize that we can only see, judge and know persons, events and things properly when we have a vibrant interior or spiritual life, a vital link not only with theories and principles, but with God himself!

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com