Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be
condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37)

A lot of people probably don’t recall the movie “The Music Man” from 1962 (I don’t even remember when or where I saw it). The plot concerns con man Harold Hill. The film is set in 1912. Harold Hill poses as a boys’ band organizer and leader, and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive Midwestern townsfolk. He promises to train the members of the new band. However, Harold is no musician and plans to skip town with the money without giving any music lessons.

Prim librarian and piano teacher Marian sees through him, but when Harold helps her younger brother overcome his lisp and social awkwardness, Marian begins to fall in love. Harold risks being caught to win her.

Blah blah blahdy blah. I’m sure you’re wondering what this has to do with God, being a Christian, or anything else along that line. Not a thing!!

BUT there is a song from the film that stuck with me for years. The song, “Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little” is sung by the town ladies (snobs). The town ladies are very excited about the band and the ladies’ dance committee that Harold plans to form. He mentions Marian, and they imply (falsely, as it turns out) that she had an affair with a now-deceased miser, who willed the library building to the town but left all the books to Marian. They warn Harold that she advocates “dirty books” by “Chaucer, Rabelais and Balzac“.

What was so funny to me was that they were wearing hats with feathers in them and when they bent their heads, the film superimposed chickens pecking for grain. The inference is that what the ladies are doing is picking apart the town librarian’s reputation – JUDGING.

And THAT is what this musing is about. God is very strict about judging others. It is a very dangerous thing to do.

First off, since WE don’t want to be judged, then we must refrain from judging others. Here is the Message Translation of this scripture that might help:

Luke 6:37  “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier.

God says judging is to condemn someone (Strong’s Concordance). To conclude, true or false, that you know they should be damned. Even if you were right, God states firmly – at least 100 times in the New Testament to NOT judge others.

God will hold you accountable for judging a person. PERIOD. Not to mention that whole “reaping what you sow” law – i.e., what goes around comes around. And the other law, LOVE. You don’t walk in love then you cut yourself off from the benefits (Psalm 68:19; Psalm 103:2 ).

So enjoy the video and make a point to look at the women’s faces and see how ugly judging is. It doesn’t look good on anyone.

The lyrics are below but I’m pretty sure you’ll get the point.

JUDGE NOT THEN YOU WONT BE JUDGED.

♥

Lyrics:

ALMA:
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

ALMA & ETHEL:
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

ALL THE LADIES:
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

MAUD:
Professor, her kind of woman doesn’t belong on any committee
Of course I shouldn’t tell you this but she advocates dirty books

HAROLD:
Dirty books?

ALMA:
Chaucer!

MAUD:
Rabelais!

EULALIE:
Balzac!

MAUD:
And the worst thing, of course I shouldn’t tell you this but-

ALMA:
I’ll tell!

ETHEL:
The man lived on my street, let me tell !

EULALIE:
No! I’ll tell She made brazen overtures to a man who never had a friend
In this town ’till she came here

ALMA:
Oh yes
That woman made brazen overtures with a gilt-edged guarantee
She had a golden glint in her eye
And a silver voice with a counterfeit ring
Just melt her down and you’ll reveal a lump of lead as cold as steel
Here, where a woman’s heart should be

EULALIE, ETHEL, MAUD, ALMA, MRS. SQUIRES:
He left River City the library building
But he left all the books to her!

ALMA:
Chaucer!

MAUD:
Rabelais!

EULALIE:
Balzac!

LADIES:
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep
Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep
Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Pick a little, talk a little, cheep!