Do I have a critical spirit?

Oh my goodness. We live in a world where a critical spirit is par for the course 24/7. It is in our culture and it is non stop.

Jesus wouldn’t put up with this. His challenge to us is clear. No picking on people, no jumping on their failures, no criticizing their faults. No judging of others unless we want to be judged by God. This is serious stuff. Jesus is not kidding.

I need to live my part in what our Father wants me to do. That has nothing to do with anyone else. It has everything to do with my relationship with God.

Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Matthew 7:1 -5

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How do I want to be treated?

“The Golden Rule” mosaic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How do I want to be treated? With respect. With understanding. I like to be given the benefit of the doubt.

How do you want to be treated?

Jesus said “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize faults-unless, of course, you want the same treatment.”

I don’t want to be treated that way. I should never be critical of others. Hard to do but through the power of His Spirit I can.

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Straight talk

Jesus can be very straightforward and direct. His suggestion on criticising is to not do it. Period. End of story. No other advice. In other places He elaborates why but the reason here is pretty compelling.

Do I want to be judged? Do I want to be criticised? If I don’t judge, I won’t be judged.

Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1

It takes one to know one.

I don’t want to be condemned. No way, no how. I want to live in freedom. I don’t want that guilt in my life.

And so, God says over and over in His message of good news to us. We are free from all the things we have done that miss His goal for us. We need to reflect His love and freedom to others and eliminate criticism and judgement from our ways.

Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done. Romans 2:1-2

May I live free from judgemental criticism.

Culture of criticism

We pay people to be critics. They make a living doing it. They sometimes even get fancy titles like consultants and commentators. It seems to me we live in a culture of criticism. And it is taking hold more and more. I get sucked in some days. It is so easy to join in and judge. It is too easy to see what God is not doing in someone’s life and not what He is doing.

Now none of us appreciate it when the tables are turned and the criticism is directed at us. It hurts. It feels unfair. It is cruel we think.

Jesus is clear on all of this. He is very direct. “Do not judge”. That is it. Don’t do it.

May His grace deliver us from the culture of criticism. May we love the way He loves. May we see what He is doing.

 

‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? Matthew 7:1-4 TNIV Bible