“My brother thinks he’s the judge of everything,” says Ethan, 8. “Last week he told me I brushed my teeth wrong!”
That sounds funny, but the truth is we’ve all been “toothbrush judges” at some point. We point out someone else’s mistakes while ignoring our own. That’s exactly what the Apostle Paul warns against in Romans 2:1–3: if we judge others for doing wrong while we do the same things, we have no excuse.
Jesus gave us a funny picture to help us remember: trying to pull an eyelash out of your friend’s eye while you’ve got a wooden plank sticking out of your own (Matthew 7:5).
Kids can spot hypocrisy in a heartbeat. If Dad says, “Only one cookie after dinner,” and then sneaks into the kitchen later for two more, someone is going to call him out. It doesn’t take long for children to see that grown-ups aren’t perfect.
The Bible doesn’t say parents have to be perfect, but it does say we all need to be humble. When Paul says in Romans 2:1 that we are “inexcusable” if we judge others while doing the same things, he’s reminding us that God sees the whole picture. We might fool people around us with excuses or finger-pointing, but God knows our hearts.
This raises an important question: does this mean we should never say anything is wrong?
“We can tell the difference between right and wrong without putting ourselves in God’s seat as judge,” says Emma, 8.
Exactly. Parents have to judge when it’s bedtime. Coaches judge when they pick who starts the game. That’s not hypocrisy. That’s responsibility. The kind of judgment Paul condemns is when we act like we’re above others while we do the same things ourselves.
Why do people judge unfairly? Sometimes it makes us feel better about ourselves. If we can find someone worse, maybe we won’t feel so bad. That’s why Paul says in Romans 2:3 that people who judge others while doing the same things are fooling themselves if they think they will escape God’s judgment.
We compare ourselves to other people because it’s easier than comparing ourselves to God’s holiness. But God is the judge who sees it all, even the secrets we hide. His judgment isn’t based on appearances but on truth.
The good news of the gospel is that Jesus took God’s judgment for us at the cross. Instead of condemning us, God offers forgiveness and eternal life through His Son. Receiving eternal life is as simple as believing in Jesus as your savior.
When we remember that Jesus was judged for our sins, we don’t need to hide our sins by judging others. Instead, we can live humbly and treat others with the same patience God shows us.
“God is the judge, not us,” says Tyler, 7. “If we try to be the judge, we are acting like we’re God.”
That’s why Paul’s warning is so important. Judging others while doing the same things ourselves makes us hypocrites. But living in God’s grace makes us humble encouragers instead of harsh critics. So next time you feel like being the toothbrush judge, remind yourself that maybe your own toothpaste cap is still off.
Think about this: When we judge others while we are doing the same things, we make ourselves hypocrites. Only God’s judgment is true and fair.
Memorize this truth: “For in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” (Romans 2:1).
Ask this question: Am I pointing out someone else’s mistake while ignoring my own?
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COPYRIGHT 2026 CAREY KINSOLVING
A New Hampshire Press Association member