Have you ever been in a wonderful mood, and everything seemed to be going great? The weather is perfect, no crisis at the moment, and those around you seem to be happy. And your favorite part of the day is being out, spending time with someone you love. Isn’t it sad how one incident can change the atmosphere?
We were at a store picking up a gift when the line slowed because cashiers were handling refunds. As we waited, people behind us grew disgruntled, but one customer was especially vocal. I stayed quiet, knowing that speaking up would cause more conflict, though I wanted to reassure her that the staff were trying their best and might be shorthanded. We often judge without knowing all the facts. When she finally left the line, those who had complained felt relieved and expressed gratitude that peace had returned.
Temporarily, this woman changed the mood. My husband and I had been talking, but grew quiet when she started speaking behind us. Others in line also became uneasy. Some joined in at first, but as her complaining intensified, everyone fell silent. When she finally left, the atmosphere shifted.
After I returned home, I began to reflect on what had happened earlier that day. I can only imagine what it would be like to live with this woman. It is probably very difficult to please her. A critical spirit affects our lives in so many ways. As a Christian, we have no business having a condemning attitude. It is surprising how many
Christians have a critical spirit. What is accomplished by criticism? Condemnation only harms others. It is not given with an attitude of love. I Corinthians 16:14 states that everything we do should be done in love. Critical people are not correcting a situation. They are upset that something did not go their way. Often, they don’t have all the facts and jump to conclusions. Many families and friendships have been torn apart by a critical spirit. I know of families and friendships that were damaged by unkind deeds or harsh words that criticized the actions of others. In two situations, the individuals were too proud to make it right with each other, and they have not spoken for years. Each thinks the other should apologize. The innocent bystanders were the children. The grandchildren could no longer see their grandparents, and the children of their friends could no longer see their friends. How sad! Worst of all, they both professed to be Christians.
Matthew 7 warns us of the consequences of a critical spirit. Verse 2 tells us that when we judge others, we will be judged the same way. Have you ever done that? I know many young parents will criticize the way other people are raising their children, but lo and behold, in a couple of years, they are doing the same thing. As people, we tend to notice these things, but our Lord notices them even more because He sees our hearts. When we are judgmental, it comes back to haunt us. When we see the wrongs of others, God brings them to light in us. He shows us how hypocritical we are. We are not to be looking for fault. We are to be witnesses and to show love.
Faultfinding is a negative attribute. Verses 3-5 speak of the mote and the beam. When we criticize others, it shows we have a bigger problem. In many cases, it is an indication of pride. Someone did not bow to our image, so we crucify them with our words. In Daniel, when Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego did not bow to the image the king set up, he was filled with rage and fury. Why was he so angry? They did not bow to his values and his ideals. He was willing to throw them into the fire because they dared to defy him. Don’t we do the same thing? When we are critical of others, we throw them into our fire. Most of the time, we are not content to keep our criticism to ourselves; we must tell everyone we know.
When we criticize our brother, it reveals we have a bigger problem. The Scripture refers to this as the beam. Perhaps the beam is pride, but it may also be our reaction to the mote. Often, a person does something they shouldn’t, and it is wrong. Unfortunately, our self-righteous attitude is a bigger problem than the original sin. Verse 5 calls us hypocrites when we feel superior to others. Until we get the beam out of our eye, until we deal with our own sin, we cannot help anyone else.
We do have a responsibility to help those who have strayed, but the Scriptures give strict instructions in these matters. For example, Galatians 6:1-2 teaches that those who are spiritual are to restore the fallen individual in a spirit of meekness, with a strong warning to consider ourselves lest we be tempted. Therefore, our attitude needs to be one of humbleness, realizing that, except for the grace of God, we could be in the same situation. Because of this, we need to restore with a heart of love and gentleness and bear each other’s burdens. Let us be supportive and help each other along the way, as we all need each other.
May I Corinthians 16:14 always be our life’s motto. “Let all your things be done with charity.” So, in every situation, let Christ’s love shine through us!
Dr. Worthington has five children and twelve grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.