What Judgmental Words Say...About You

When we are judgmental of others, we can know we are guilty of the exact attributes we find offensive.  Romans 2:1 says, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  There is perhaps no better example of this in scripture than Eliab, David's oldest brother.

After David's three oldest brothers went to fight for King Saul, his father Jesse loaded David with food and commanded him to deliver it to the front lines.  Jesse told David to run to the camp where his brothers were and to see how they fared.  David was obedient to do so.  He was shocked when his discussion with his brothers was interrupted by Goliath of Gath who spoke boastfully against God.  He was dismayed when all the men of Israel (his brothers included!) fled from Goliath and refused to challenge him in battle.  Men of Israel quickly filled David in on how King Saul had promised wealth, his daughter in marriage, and tax-free status for their family.  Yet for 40 days, Goliath had come out daily to taunt Israel and reproach the living God.  David asked, "Who is this Philistine, that He should defy the armies of the living God?"

1 Samuel 17:28 states, "Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."  Wow.  To say Eliab was sensitive is an understatement.  His mouth vomited hate.  Eliab questioned David's motive in coming to the battle.  He reminded him of his lowly status as a shepherd, tending a "few sheep in the wilderness."  He accused him of being proud and insolent (bad, wicked).  I love the response of David in 1 Samuel 17:29, for he resisted any urge to defend himself from this verbal barrage:  "And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"  Eliab attacked David personally, but this assault only exposed his own wickedness.  He was the proud and wicked one, and he transferred his own faults to David.  His own sin negatively coloured his views of others.

In the previous chapter, David had been anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel.  I wonder if Eliab was still envious of the royal treatment extended to David!  If Samuel had his way, he would have anointed Eliab because of his handsome bearing.  1 Samuel 16:6-7 records Samuel's initial impression of Eliab:  "So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him." ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  God had refused Eliab as king because of the wickedness in his heart, yet chose to anoint the youngest of Jesse's sons:  David, a humble shepherd, a man after God's own heart.  David was not perfect, but he loved, trusted, and believed God.  Through God he would do mighty feats, and one of the most notable was when he killed the Philistine champion with a sling and stone and won a great victory.

One takeaway from this passage is when a characteristic in someone prompts a negative emotional response in us, instead of criticising or questioning their motives we must first examine our own hearts.  Harsh judgment in us indicates we have sin which must be confessed and forsaken.  Once we repent of our own sin and walk uprightly, then we can see clearly to help others be restored.  Insightful Eliab was proud and afraid, unwilling to meet Goliath in battle.  Sin is a giant only slain by faith in God and humble repentance, and this is a fight to which all children of God are called and by His grace enabled to win.