Exercise Good Judgment

By bjacobs

I read an interesting quote a while back from “Built to Last” by Jim Collins.

“Rule #1: In all situations, use good judgment.
There will be no additional rules.”

This quote caught my eye, mainly because I think it does a good job of summarizing the philosophy of the New Testament regarding rules and the law. We’re not to be strictly legalistic, nor to have an obsessive focus on rules and regulations, since those things can distract us from what’s really important in our relationship with God and others.

In the days of Jesus the people were overburdened by the government’s laws and regulations, and then the religious leaders added to that burden with their own rules and regulations. And Jesus had quite a few words with those leaders. We live in a society today where they try to improve by adding more laws and regulations. “Caution: this can of peanuts contains peanuts.” Have we really lost the ability to exercise good judgment that we need to be told every little detail? And unfortunately, even in the Church we can sometimes fall into the same trap.

The question then becomes; what is good judgment?

The great thing about the Bible is that it’s basically God telling us to use good judgment, and then proceeding to equip us with it by telling us to conform our minds to his way of thinking. So good judgment would be Godly judgment.

If we have love like God shows us, if we can see others the way God sees them, then we don’t need anyone to tell us not to steal or cheat or be hateful. Let’s not be people who need to mindlessly follow this or that, but let’s train our hearts and minds with God’s Word, and let’s remember that it’s all summed up in loving God and loving others. If we can get that mindset first, then all the rest will more easily fall into place.

In Alexander Kjerulf’s blog “A note from the boss”, he is writing about a note that a boss gives to a new employee that says, “I will not burden you with endless rules and regulations. You’re an adult – I trust you to use your best judgment.”