I'm really struggling with this lately.
This struggle came to mind during a sermon based on this topic and scripture at House For all Sinners and Saints, by Nadia Bolz-Weber. But it made me think...
"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who do such things. Do you suppose, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume upon the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed." (Romans 2:1-5 RSV)
Being kind of a religious guy, I come a cross many people with really rigid beliefs about how one should specifically follow or experience God. Many times I walk away from conversations of this nature feeling anywhere from numb and mildly annoyed, all the way to completely insulted due to their insinuating (or outright claiming) that I am not as much of a follower of Jesus or believer in God as they are ant that I should re-read "The Bible" until I see things their way.
This pisses me off more times than not and I confess I do leave these interactions with my Godly brothers and sisters with a bad taste in my mouth. And in doing so I have both been judged and have also judged them myself. So when I read this scripture, I first feel justified as the victim. I think I have been wronged and they will get their come uppins for this behavior. Until I realize that in reacting this way, I too have passed a cruel judgement on them which takes me from the category of victim to the aggressor that I dislike so much. So which of these am I? ...I guess that depends on the moment. Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.
