I am putting down the gavel

I remember riding the bus in Austin with a guy named Herb, and he told me one time, "Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy."  But as the Holy Spirit revealed to me almost two months ago, I need to repent of being judgemental so that He can produce more joy in me. And I think it is connected to wanting to be correct.

Correctness is so deeply rooted in my thinking.  It is almost instinctual.  

I need to implement a litmus test of love.  Am I wanting to correct that person because I love them and sincerely want the best that God has for them?  For example, even with my children, I want to make sure that I am correcting them and disciplining them because I want them to experience the abundant life that Christ has promised.

I confess that, many times, I simply want justice to be served more than I want to better that person.  Somehow, I think I am the jury and the judge.

I think it goes back to eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden.  The consequence is that I think I know good and evil, omnisciently.  But I need to humble myself and repent of thinking that I am like God in knowing enough to pass correct judgment.  He, alone, is Judge.  

So, I am committing to put down the gavel.  

Holy Spirit, search me, and illuminate the motives of my actions.  I confess that I have been arrogant and proud, thinking that I am correct and that I know enough to pass judgment on others.  I humble myself before you and ask for your grace to show me when I pick up your gavel so that I can put it back down before I try to use it.  I don't even realize how dangerous it is for me to pick up your gavel - like a child picking up a nail gun, liable to hurt myself and others.  I choose joy instead of judgment.  Please grow more joy in me. I love you.