Well said! You pretty much captured the essence of "judgment" by making the distinction between discernment and judgment.

Technically speaking, we "judge" all the time, from the moment we step out of bed, from "do these jeans make me look fat?" to whether we should take a coat and umbrella, to whether the bus driver is driving safely. The problems don't really arise till judgment starts becoming a manipulation to change others against their will. Then we're moving over into criticism. And not of the constructive kind.

It's quite tricky, sometimes. As a minister and counselor, I am almost required to "judge" in certain ways, because people approach me seeking answers. Whereas it is not mine to "tell them what to do," part of my calling is do guide, which does involve a certain "judgment" of what is wheat and what is chaff in their lives.

Thanks for a thoughtful post!

Bright Blessings!