In this week’s lectionary passage from Romans, Paul -- who is capable of being extremely judgmental himself -- calls on us to avoid judging others... especially on trivial matters like whether to eat meat or to be vegetarian. He pointedly asks us: “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10). We’re all guilty of prematurely rushing to judgment, not just on mundane things but on matters of life and death too...
