Everyone will be judged. We judge ourselves, we are judged by others, and someday we will be judged by God. The standards by which we and others judge are not always the same as the standard used by God.

Micah judged himself by the standard of wealth. He believed his financial prosperity proved he was right. Everything he did, in his relationships with his mother, the Levite priest, and God, was geared toward the aim of enriching himself. He was willing to steal, he was willing to idol worship, and he was willing to hire and generously pay a priest all with the aim of self enrichment. This standard was not very high. Wealth can be stolen or lost and even if you hang on to wealth until death you cannot take it with you.

The Levite considered becoming a priest made him successful, but he was a priest that could be bought. He sold himself to Micah. When threatened, he gave himself to the Danites. He was impressed with the idea that he would be the priest to a large tribe and clan rather than just one man’s household. Ministers that can be bought are not worth what you pay for them. It is a foolish minister who judges his ministry by the size of his salary or the size of his congregation.

The men of Dan judge themselves by the results of their adventure. They conquered a city, burned it down and rebuild it and claimed the valley it controlled. They judged themselves to be wise, powerful and godly. They made this judgment in spite of the fact that the city they defeated was undefended. They thought themselves powerful even though they avoided the battle that God told them to fight, in order to massacre and steal from the weak.

In that day, none served God as King; they all did as they saw fit, and were pleased with themselves. God’s standard of judgment is righteousness. When we are right with God we do as he sees fit.