Another Man's Servant

Quote this verse and the conversation ends. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? Somebody says it, the room goes quiet, and whatever was about to be raised stays unraised. If it means what it is used to mean, no Christian may assess another one about anything, which would make most of the New Testament unwritable.

I know how it gets used because I have used it, and only ever in one direction. It comes to hand the moment I am the one being weighed, and never when I am the one doing the weighing, and I have not once caught myself making the switch.

What the chapter is arguing about is named two verses earlier: one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Food and calendars. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Paul is not neutral either; later in the chapter he says plainly that there is nothing unclean of itself. He has a view, states it, and then refuses to let either side run the other out of the room.

Watch how carefully the traffic goes both ways. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth. Two sins, one for each party, and each is the one that party would never suspect itself of. The loose man despises. The strict man judges. Neither thinks he is doing anything except being right.

The reason given is a seat. To his own master he standeth or falleth. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

We have been sitting in a chair that is occupied, Lord, and quoting the warning about it to whoever sat there before us. The one we were assessing is held up by hands that are not ours. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Daily Manna runs on a two-year cycle. The year one reading for day 319 is Everlasting Consolation (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

All 365 readings in Daily Manna, Year Two