Beyond Judgment: How Jesus’s Radical Acceptance Reveals Our Original Goodness

You judge by appearances,

but I do not judge anyone.” (John 8:15)

These are very comforting words from Jesus! He was ultimate Truth, Goodness, and Light, yet he did not judge anyone. At the beginning of this chapter, Jesus pardons the woman caught in adultery. “Has no one condemned you? She replied, ‘No one, sir.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you” (John 8:10-11). It is amazing that without words, Jesus is able to prevent her from being stoned by the religious leaders, and also pardon her sins. In speaking with the religious leaders again later in the chapter, Jesus reminds them, “You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.”

People are so judgmental--both towards other people and towards themselves. It causes so much emotional damage. The way that we exclude people from our lives based on superficial judgements holds us back from growth. The way that we hold ourselves back from opportunities because we judge ourselves to be unworthy, stops our individual well-being and prosperity. But why? 

Fr. Richard Rohr discusses the anthropology of “original sin” in his book The Universal Christ. He suggests that this concept is not based in the Biblical scriptures, neither Old nor New Testaments. Rohr explains that the Bible actually teaches “original goodness”. Unfortunately, starting with early Church leaders, such as Augustine, the theology became skewed. Fr. Rohr writes in, The Universal Christ, 2019, pg. 67):

“In every age and culture, we have seen regressions toward racism, sexism, homophobia, militarism, lookism, and classism. This pattern tells me that unless we see dignity as being given universally, objectively, and from the beginning by God, humans will constantly think it is up to us to decide. But this tragic history demonstrates that one group cannot be trusted to portion out worthiness and dignity to another. Our criteria tend to be self-referential and thus highly prejudiced, and the powerless and the disadvantaged always lose out...For the planet and for all living beings to move forward, we can rely on nothing less than an inherent original goodness and a universally shared dignity.” 

This understanding of “original goodness” seems to fit the words of Jesus today: “You [humans] judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.”  Let’s take that in today. We are enough! We are worthy! There is no “old man in the sky” judging our every move. Even when we do make mistakes, like the woman caught in adultery, Jesus is there, ready to give us grace: “neither do I condemn you.” Today, think about all of the good things about yourself, and all of the good things about the people in your circle. I am sure it will lighten your load and brighten your day. 

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