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.
Matthew 7:1 MSG
They say “the Devil is in the details.” Experts do
not agree as to who first made this statement, but there is much truth to be
gained from it.
Since mistakes are commonly made in the smallest
details of a project—especially by overlooking or underestimating them—we need
to be cautious and alert, using a critical eye to eliminate these mistakes.
Notice I said critical eye and not critical spirit.
When we’ve been gifted with discernment and an eye
for detail, it’s very easy to slip over into criticism. There’s a fine line
between the two, and it’s important for us to know and understand the
difference.
Pastor and author Chad Norris explains it like
this:
It is when we develop a
critical spirit that we are actually playing the role of judge in people’s
lives. We were never called to judge one another. I want my airline pilot to
have a critical eye at all times. I want my surgeon to have a critical eye as
he operates on my body while using the competency he or she has garnered
through hard work and practice. A critical eye is not a critical spirit. A
critical spirit says, “I know better than you. I am better than you. I see things
more clearly than you do, and when you begin to think like me, you will be
correct."
The Bible tells
us not to think we are better than we really are. Instead, we are to esteem
others, preferring them above ourselves. When we judge and condemn others
because they don’t measure up to our standards or expectations, the law of
sowing and reaping will cause those things to come back to our doorstep. As Matthew
says, that critical spirit has a
way of boomeranging.
If you’re dealing with a critical spirit, ask God
to give you a heart of compassion. Look for the best in others, and they will
look for the best in you.
Excellent post, Andrea. This just came up at work yesterday with a co-worker. :-) Great timing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sheryl! :)
ReplyDelete