Embracing Curiosity and Grace Over Judgment

Devotional

Day 1: The Golden Rule—Treat Others as You Want to Be Treated

Jesus calls us to a radically different way of living: to do to others as we would like them to do to us. This is not about loving others in a self-centered way or simply giving people what they want, but about stepping into their shoes, seeing life from their perspective, and responding with the same grace and understanding we would hope for if the tables were turned. When we live this way, we reflect the very love that Jesus showed us—He became like us, felt our pain, and gave Himself sacrificially so we could have life and forgiveness. The Golden Rule is not just a nice idea; it is the foundation for transforming our relationships, our communities, and our world. [07:40]

Luke 6:31 (ESV)
"And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them."

Reflection: Think of a specific person you will encounter today. How can you intentionally put yourself in their shoes and treat them the way you would hope to be treated if you were in their situation?

Day 2: Judgment Destroys—Choose Curiosity Over Condemnation

Being judgmental is like a cancer to the soul—it blinds us, breeds cynicism, and damages every relationship we have. Jesus warns us not to judge or condemn others, because we can never truly know their motives or hearts. Instead, He invites us to be curious: to ask questions, to listen, and to seek understanding rather than making final pronouncements. When we resist the urge to judge and instead approach others with curiosity and humility, we protect our hearts and open the door to deeper connection and healing. [15:35]

Luke 6:37-38, 41-42 (ESV)
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you... Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye."

Reflection: When was the last time you caught yourself making a snap judgment about someone? What would it look like to pause, get curious, and ask a question instead of assuming the worst?

Day 3: The Secret of the Speck—Let Curiosity Lead to Self-Examination

Jesus’ teaching about the speck and the log is a call to courageous self-examination. When we find ourselves getting emotional or judgmental about someone else’s faults, Jesus invites us to ask: Why does this particular issue bother me so much? How might I struggle with the same thing? This kind of curiosity is the birthplace of wisdom and transformation. Instead of denying our own struggles, we can let our emotional reactions become a gift that points us to areas where God wants to bring healing and growth. [23:45]

Romans 2:1 (ESV)
"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things."

Reflection: Identify a situation where someone’s behavior really irritated you recently. What might your strong reaction reveal about your own heart or struggles?

Day 4: Give Grace in Abundance—The Measure You Use Matters

Jesus teaches that the amount of grace, forgiveness, and kindness we give to others will be the amount that comes back to us. He uses the vivid image of grain being pressed down, shaken together, and running over to show that we are called to be extravagantly generous with grace—not stingy or fair, but overflowing. When we pour out grace in bucketfuls, we create a cycle of kindness and trust that transforms our relationships and communities. [28:26]

Luke 6:38 (ESV)
"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

Reflection: Who in your life needs a “bucketful” of grace from you today? What is one practical way you can go above and beyond to show them kindness or forgiveness?

Day 5: Change the World—Let Love and Curiosity Lead

When we put on our “golden rule glasses,” we protect our hearts from judgment and open ourselves to see others with compassion and understanding. This way of living is not just for our own benefit—it has the power to change the world. Research and experience both show that when we treat others with trust, kindness, and grace, it inspires them to do the same, creating a ripple effect of goodness. Jesus’ love for us is the model and the motivation: as we have received overwhelming grace, we are called to go out and love others in the same way, making our world a more loving and trustworthy place. [34:44]

John 13:34-35 (ESV)
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Reflection: What is one specific way you can take the initiative to show Christlike love and curiosity to someone outside your usual circle this week?

Sermon Summary

Drawing from the story of Ted Lasso, the call is to resist the urge to judge others and instead cultivate a spirit of curiosity and grace. The world is deeply divided and quick to judge, but Jesus offers a radically different way to live: the Golden Rule—“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” This isn’t about loving others in a self-centered way or giving people everything they want, but about truly seeing life from another’s perspective. It’s about asking, “If I were in their shoes, with their experiences and hurts, how would I want to be treated?” and then acting on that insight.

Jesus modeled this for us. He didn’t just love from a distance; He entered into our world, saw through our eyes, felt our pain, and gave sacrificially. His love was not theoretical but deeply personal and costly. Because we have received this kind of love, we are called to extend it to others, not with judgment, but with understanding and generosity.

Judgment is like a cancer to the soul. It blinds us, makes us cynical, and destroys relationships. We often fall into judgment because of our negativity bias and the mistaken belief that cynicism is a sign of intelligence. But research and Jesus both affirm that true wisdom is found in kindness, curiosity, and grace. Most people are trustworthy and act with integrity, but our focus on the negative distorts our perception.

Jesus’ teaching about the speck and the log is a call to self-examination. When we are most irritated by others, it often reveals something unresolved in ourselves. The courageous question is not, “How can I fix them?” but “Why does this bother me so much? How might I struggle with the same thing?” Only when we have dealt with our own issues can we truly help others.

Grace is to be given in abundance, not in small, measured doses. The measure we use with others will be the measure returned to us. When we put on our “golden rule glasses,” we protect our hearts from judgment and open ourselves to curiosity and compassion. This way of living not only transforms our relationships but has the power to change the world, as kindness and trust create a positive cycle that multiplies.

Key Takeaways

1. Judgment blinds and isolates, while curiosity opens the heart. When we judge, we become unable to see reality clearly and our relationships suffer. Curiosity, on the other hand, invites us to understand others’ experiences and feelings, which is the first step toward genuine connection and healing. Jesus calls us to be curious, not judgmental, because only God truly knows the heart. [07:10]
2. The Golden Rule is not about self-centered love or enabling others, but about empathetic action. Jesus invites us to imagine ourselves in another’s situation, to feel their pain and see through their eyes, and then to act as we would want others to act toward us. This requires humility, imagination, and initiative, moving us beyond mere tolerance to active, sacrificial love. [10:45]
3. Our negativity bias and the myth of the “cynical genius” distort our perception of others. We tend to focus on the few negative experiences and overlook the overwhelming evidence of trustworthiness and goodness in people. Research confirms that kindness and trust actually foster more of the same, creating a virtuous cycle, while cynicism breeds isolation and unhappiness. [15:35]
4. The issues that most irritate us in others often reveal our own struggles. Jesus’ teaching about the speck and the log is an invitation to self-examination. When we feel strong emotion or judgment toward someone else’s flaw, we should ask, “Why does this bother me? How might I struggle with the same thing?” This courageous curiosity is the birthplace of transformation and grace. [23:45]
5. Grace is to be given extravagantly, not sparingly. Jesus uses the image of grain pressed down, shaken together, and running over to illustrate the abundance of grace we are to offer. The measure we use with others will be the measure returned to us; when we give generously, we receive generously, and this abundance of grace has the power to transform communities and relationships. [28:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Ted Lasso and the Power of Curiosity
[03:30] - The Golden Rule: Jesus’ Radical Invitation
[06:10] - What the Golden Rule Is—and Isn’t
[08:20] - Jesus’ Model: Love That Steps Into Our Shoes
[10:45] - Golden Rule Glasses: Protecting Our Hearts
[13:00] - Everyday Examples: Driving, Marriage, and Friendship
[15:35] - Why We’re So Judgmental: Negativity Bias and Cynicism
[18:30] - The Myth of the Cynical Genius
[21:46] - The Speck and the Log: The Genius of Self-Examination
[23:45] - Courageous Curiosity: What Bothers Me About Others?
[25:15] - David and Nathan: A Biblical Case Study
[28:26] - Extravagant Grace: Pressed Down, Shaken Together
[31:00] - The Cycle of Grace and Trust
[33:00] - Living the Golden Rule: Changing the World
[34:44] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 6:31-38 (ESV) — 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Observation Questions

According to Jesus in Luke 6:31, what is the “Golden Rule” and how does He say we should treat others?
In verses 37-38, what does Jesus say about judging, condemning, forgiving, and giving? What are the promised results of each?
The sermon uses the image of “golden rule glasses.” What are these “glasses” meant to do for us in our daily lives? [10:45]
What everyday examples did the pastor give to show how the Golden Rule can be lived out? [13:00]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus connect the way we treat others with the way we ourselves will be treated? What does this reveal about God’s heart and the way He wants His people to live?
The sermon says judgment is “like a cancer to your soul.” In what ways can being judgmental blind us or damage our relationships? [07:10]
The pastor talks about our “negativity bias” and the myth of the “cynical genius.” How do these tendencies affect the way we see and treat others? [15:35]
Jesus’ teaching about the “speck and the log” is described as a call to self-examination. Why is it important to ask, “Why does this bother me so much?” before trying to help someone else? [23:45]

Application Questions

Think of a recent situation where you were quick to judge someone (maybe while driving, at work, or at home). What would it look like to put on your “golden rule glasses” in that moment? [13:00]
The sermon says, “Grace is to be given extravagantly, not sparingly.” Are there people in your life to whom you tend to give only a “thimble” of grace? What would it look like to give them a “bucket” instead? [28:26]
When you feel strong irritation or judgment toward someone, what might that reveal about your own struggles? Can you think of a time when your reaction to someone else’s flaw pointed to something in your own heart? [23:45]
The pastor shared that most people are trustworthy and act with integrity, but our focus on the negative distorts our perception. How can you intentionally look for the good in others this week? [15:35]
Jesus modeled the Golden Rule by entering into our world, seeing through our eyes, and loving sacrificially. What is one practical way you can “step into someone else’s shoes” this week? [10:45]
The sermon challenges us to ask, “If I were in their shoes, with their experiences and hurts, how would I want to be treated?” Who is one person you can practice this with in the coming days?
The measure we use with others will be the measure returned to us. How might your relationships change if you started giving more grace, curiosity, and kindness? What’s one step you can take to start this cycle? [28:26]

Sermon Clips

When you drove to church today, you passed way over a hundred cars. And 99 of them drove safe, they were careful, they were trustworthy, they did what was right. There was one clown out there, but just one. But your conversation, the way we talk, it's like there were 99 clowns out there and only one reliable person. And so we focus on the negative and we become cynical. And Jesus says, live a different way. Don't judge. You don't know what's going on in people's hearts. You'll be wrong. You don't get to play. It destroys you. It destroys relationships. It'll destroy your marriage. It'll destroy your community. [00:20:11] (41 seconds) #removeyourownspeck

When you see a speck, so a small piece of wood, sawdust in someone's eye, and it's real and it hurts them. Okay. So it's painful. It's real. There's real sawdust. And he goes, and you're tempted, you know, to go over to them and you got your tweezers out and you're saying, here, let me get that little speck out of your eye. And the problem is, is that while you're coming at them to go, I'm going to help you with this, they're going at you going, whoa, because you've got a giant board in your eye. They're going, no, thank you. [00:21:08] (31 seconds) #reflectbeforejudging

Curiosity is the birthplace, and Jesus says, the genius is the speck. That little speck in your friend's eye, that you see it, you're ready to go, let me help you with that, and you get all ramped up, you go, and it's about control, or anger, or impatience, or whatever it is. Just stop, and he says, no. And Jesus says, if you haven't dealt with the issue in your life—your impatience, your controlling nature, your anger—and you see it in someone else, you don't even get to talk to them. You don't even get to bring it up. You don't get to address it. If you haven't dealt with it in your issue, he says, let it go. [00:24:00] (37 seconds) #blindhelpfails

So Jesus is going to say now in this passage, instead of being judgmental and condemning, what we need to do is we need to give to each other huge amounts of grace. So how much grace do you think Jesus is going to say we need to give to each other? Lots of good guess. He gives a more specific answer. His answer is, you should give as much grace as you want to come back your direction. [00:28:34] (28 seconds) #measuregracegenerously

You give lots of grace, forgiveness, kindness, you'll receive it. And your gift, the kindness, grace, it will return to you in full, pressed down, shaken together, making room for more, running over. What does that mean? I'll tell you. And pour it into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. [00:29:18] (17 seconds) #livewithempathy

So the idea of buying grain. Now when we buy grain, we do not buy grain by measure. We buy grain by weight. And so like you buy a box of Cheerios. And so you buy a box of Cheerios, and it's a giant box, huge box, this big. And then you open it up, and how much Cheerios do you have? Like this much Cheerios. And if you read on the side of the box, it says, you might have noticed that some settling of contents have taken place during shipping. But rest assured, you paid for 12 ounces of Cheerios, and you have 12 ounces. And you're like, well, why'd you give me a big box? You know, and anyway, so they do it. But in Jesus's day, you bought by measure. [00:30:08] (38 seconds) #blindleadstofall

He says, you give them not a fair measure, but a good measure. So it's like, first of all, you just knock and knock, not even knock off the top. And then what does he say? Press down, shaken together. What happens when you shake it? Just like your Cheerios. There's some settling of contents that takes place. And so it settles down. So you're getting as much. He goes, he scoops in there, goes, shake it, shake it. I can get more in here for you. Wait just a second. Put it in there. I can get more in here. They're pressing you down. Then it pours into your lap. And then the person looks and goes, you know what? I think you can carry more than that. So they scoop more and they pour it in. And they go, I think I can get more in there. They pour it in. And so then they grab you. And then they shake you. And they press it down. And they fill it up. So when you walk away, literally, you have a stream of grace that's following you. That's the way you give grace. [00:30:50] (55 seconds) #empathychangestheworld

The blind person is the judgmental person. Can a judgmental person lead another person? Yeah. And they'll both fall into a ditch. That's what he's saying. Students are not greater than their teacher, but the student that is fully trained will become like his teacher. Jesus is saying there's a lot of moments in a broken world where you're going to be bumped into, run into, jostled, and put around. And the most dangerous thing in those moments is for you to be judgmental. But don't be judgmental. Protect yourself. Put on your golden rule glasses. [00:33:32] (37 seconds)

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