It is a danger we all face on our spiritual journeys. How we deal with this danger determines the spirit with which we live. How we deal with it sets the trajectory of our spiritual journey. Ultimately, how we deal with this danger defines the character of our spiritual lives.
This danger is inherent to religious life. This danger is so deeply engrained in religious thinking that it is generally not recognized. As a result, we do not recognize it lurking in the recesses of our own thinking. The more trapped we are in its power, the more blind we are to its presence in our own lives.
Religious life, by nature, is built around a religious rule that governs the life of the community. This rule includes accepted beliefs (theology-orthodoxy) as well as a set of expectations regarding what to do or not do (morals-orthopraxy) based on those beliefs. It is the standard by which the community lives. Over time, this religious rule translates into religious traditions that are considered sacred.
The purpose o the religious rule is twofold. First, the rule shapes the community's identity. It helps the community define itself. It sets the community apart from others. In addition, the rule is a guide pointing the way for the members of the community. It helps them as they seek to make progress on their spiritual journeys. It is the standard by which they measure themselves and their progress.
The danger of which I speak arises when this religious rule - the standard that defines and shapes the religious community - is used to judge others.
Let me be clear. Judging others - a critical, judgmental spirit that focuses on how others fail to conform to the religious rule - is not the danger. It is an indicator of the danger.
What, then, is the danger? I don't have a name for it. I can only describe it.
It involves focusing on the wrong thing - on behavior rather than attitudes, on right beliefs rather than a right spirit (a servant spirit), on externals rather than the inner realm of the heart, on rules rather than relationships, on conformity to expectations rather than compassion and understanding, on finding fault rather than forgiving, on comparing and competing rather than accepting and valuing, on keeping score rather than making progress.
It operates out of merit-based, deserving-oriented thinking rather than the grace and forgiveness with which God relates to us.
It creates us-them relationships, build walls that divide, reinforces alienation and division. It fosters a not-so-subtle arrogance of being better-than another, placing others in a one-down position in the relationship.
It blocks compassion - a defining dimension of the character of God (Exodus 34:6-7) and an essential element in the spiritual life (Colossians 3:12) - as well as any effort to understand the other's situation.
It reflects a fragile sense of self - what I call an egocentric, constructed self. This identity is the persona we created based on what the world - society, family, culture, church - told us we needed to be and do if we wanted to be accepted and valued. Because it is fragile, this persona needs to constantly be propped up. That's where judging others comes in. Every time we judge another, we unconsciously say "I'm not like that. I'm better than that." A critical, judgmental spirit is evidence that we are living out of an egocentric, constructed self.
It involves spiritual blindness - the inability to see in oneself what others see, the inability to be honest with oneself about struggle and failure. It projects onto others the very things we disown in our own lives - what is called scapegoating. It is thinking we are right when we are wrong.
We see these dynamics in today's lectionary gospel reading - Mark 2:23-3:6. The text relates two occasions in which Jesus failed to follow the scribal teachings and traditions related to Sabbath observance. His actions triggered criticism by the Pharisees. "Why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" (Mark 2:24). It led them to plot his death (Mark 3:6).
Their attempts to get rid of Jesus reflect the heart of the danger I've attempted to describe - the danger of missing authentic spirituality. Authentic spirituality involves more than right beliefs and behavior. It is found in relationships - loving God by loving others (Mark 12:28-34). It is not found in conformity to some religious standard or in following some religious tradition. It is found in the transformation of heart and mind that leads us to love God and neighbor.
I'm not sure we are ever free from this danger on the spiritual journey. After all, the inclination to judge others is an inherent part of our human condition, of how we seek to establish our identity. Consider how quickly we are to be critical of the Pharisees. Our best protection against this ever-present danger is our awareness of our own need of God's grace.
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