God loves us dearly, but he is also the ultimate judge. Thank him today for sending Jesus. If you don’t know Jesus’ forgiveness, let’s talk.

Consider your first impressions today. Look beyond the surface and ask God to help you see them with his eyes. Pray for those you judge.

Thank God for his mercy in your own life. Thank him specifically for sins that he has forgiven. Then, extend mercy to someone else today.

Commit to being a person of integrity today. Be honest, trustworthy and above reproach. Ask Jesus to show his love through you today.

We shouldn’t act one way on Sunday and a different way on Monday. Ask God to guard your heart today against hypocrisy. Walk the talk.

Think about ways in which you are quick to judge. Start the week off on the right foot by asking forgiveness for wrongly judging people.

Have you ever had a truly honest friend? We’re not talking about one who will tell you that you have spinach in your teeth, toilet paper stuck to your shoe or that your jeans actually do make you look pudgy. We’re talking about the one who will pull you aside and tell you that your snippy attitude at lunch hurt some feelings. Or, point out toxic elements in a relationship that you are too emotionally blind to notice. This is the one who will not take, “Fine” as a rote response in answer to, “How are you?”

Do you have a friend like that? Are you a friend like that?

King David had a friend like that. In 2 Samuel 12, a prophet named Nathan told David a thinly-veiled story about a rich man who stole a sheep (more like a family pet) from a poor man and then cooked it for dinner. David was incensed and proclaimed that such a man should die. Then, Nathan revealed that the rich thief in the story was actually him. Nathan honestly and accurately held David accountable for his sin.

There is a difference between judging and discerning. Judging people means assuming that you know their motives, so you jump to conclusions about them. Discerning is similar to judging, but it is fine-tuned. It does not mean ignoring an issue; rather, you filter what you observe to determine whether or not it is sin. Judgment is a twin of hypocrisy, while discernment goes hand-in-hand with integrity and mercy.

It sure is easier to dish out judgment than to take it, isn’t it? Let’s be candid in our prayer time this week and invite the Lord to speak to our hearts:

Do you speak just to hear yourself talk? Ecclesiastes 6 warns against rambling on and on. Ask God to help you guard your tongue today.

Seek to please God today with your words. Start with praise and ask forgiveness. Psalm 19 is a helpful guide.

How can you use healing words today? Ask God to open your heart to someone who needs encouragement, then be willing to be his voice to them.