Here Comes da’ Judge
If you grew up watching Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, you can probably still see it — Sammy Davis Jr. or Flip Wilson strutting across the stage, gavel in hand, declaring with a grin, “Here comes da’ Judge!” It was comedy gold back then — and oddly, it feels a little too familiar now.
What once made us laugh, has slipped into real life. These days it seems like everyone is holding a gavel. Social media has become a courtroom. News feeds sound like verdicts. Even church pews sometimes echo with quiet judgments — guilty or innocent, right or wrong, approved or canceled.
Goodness gracious — we’re tired of it all!
We’re all in the middle of becoming — no longer who we were, not quite who we will be. It’s that awkward in-between season, like wearing shoes that haven’t been broken in yet. But that middle ground is holy ground. That’s where God does His best work.
And right there, He whispers something freeing:
Let’s stop being critical and judgmental. Let’s be the ones who lift up, encourage and respect other people’s views — even if their views are polar opposite.
That one truth could save friendships, families, and a whole lot of Facebook threads.
Jesus saw our judging hearts coming. That’s why He said,
“Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1)
Not because truth doesn’t matter — but because condemnation slams doors that grace was meant to open.
God loves us exactly as we are — on our messiest, least-put-together days — and in that same love, He gently leads us toward growth. He doesn’t shout from the bench. He walks beside us.
There’s a world of difference between conviction and criticism. One draws us closer to God. The other pushes people away.
So maybe today we lay down the gavel and pick up a pom-pom and become a cheerleader. Maybe instead of shouting, “Here comes da’ judge,” we say, “Here comes an encourager!”
“Encourage one another and build each other up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Life feels lighter when we stop trying to be the Holy Spirit for everyone else. Grace grows best in roomy hearts. Let’s give each other space to grow — and cheer one another all the way there. 💛