Don’t Judge the Messenger

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.

John 7:24

In John 7, as Jesus stood up during the Feast of Tabernacles to teach boldly in the temple, the people were astonished. They questioned, “How does this man know letters, having never studied?” (John 7:15). Others doubted Him simply because they knew where He came from. “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph?” they muttered. In their eyes, He was too ordinary to be divine, too uneducated to teach with such authority, and too lowly to be the promised Messiah.

They judged Him based on His background, not His message.

This still happens today. People often evaluate our credentials before our convictions, our titles before our testimony. If you don’t have a degree, a platform, or a polished background, your voice might be dismissed—even if what you carry is the pure truth of God.

But Jesus reminds us in John 7:24 to “judge with righteous judgment.” God doesn’t look at appearances. He doesn’t call the qualified—He qualifies the called. Jesus Himself was a carpenter from Nazareth, yet He carried the wisdom of heaven. What matters to God is not where you came from, but Who sent you.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged because people underestimate you or don’t listen simply because you’re “just an ordinary person,” take heart. So was Jesus in their eyes, and yet He changed the world.

You don’t need the world’s approval to speak God’s truth. You just need boldness, obedience, and a heart that seeks Him.