Prejudice is very deceptive because it appears so right at times. We often think of it in different terms. We are "evaluating" or "sizing up" people or situations.

The word is composed of the prefix "pre-" which means "before," and the root "judge." My dictionary defines it as "an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand without the facts." I would disagree just slightly - I would say it is a judgment formed without all the facts. Though it seems righteous, it is really pride in action. It assumes we humans can know all the facts about persons and situations.

God's judgments and mercy cannot come forth when we are intent on giving our version of His judgments and mercy by leaning on our own understanding. When we form an impression of people by how they look or how much money they have (or don't have), or even by comparing what we know of the Bible to their situations without prayerfully consulting the Lord, we respond according to the value we have placed on them or their situation instead of with the Lord's values.

We must walk very softly and sensitively in this hour. God is calling us to maturity. How often we have taken His Book (the Bible) in the past and tried to make people line up to what we perceive is His Word! We are coming into a time when, because God is sifting and sorting the whole Body of Christ more than ever before, we must step out of the way and let Him be the judge. Our conduct must be very circumspect and prayerful in this hour, or we can become a stumbling block to His purposes. If we do not let Him judge, we can be found unknowingly supporting evil or discouraging those who really have soft hearts under their sin.

We must recognize in this time that God is dealing strongly with sin. Sin is not found just by looking at the Word and applying it with our minds. The Bible says the Word will divide asunder even soul from spirit, discerning the very thoughts and intents of our hearts (Heb 4:12). That is God's work. Man cannot do it. What we see and what may really be happening in this hour can be two different things. But our Lord knows what's what. Remember how Jesus dealt with the sin in the woman at the well (Jn 4)? Certainly not as we would. We need to stop judging others and say, no, make it a constant cry of our hearts, "Lord, purify me! Lord, please expose my sin and change me!"

Jesus says once the logs are gone from our own eyes, once we ourselves are truly established in holiness, love of the brethren and love of the truth, we will be able to clearly discern others' sin, and will have the right attitude with which to deal with it. To put it another way, the godly authority in the Body of Christ to deal rightly with sin comes as we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Once we are walking in humility, we will gently, and with the authority of the Holy Spirit be instruments He can use to help reconcile others to Himself.

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