03/02/2017
βDo not judge, or you too will be judged.β
Matthew 7:1 NIV
If itβs constructive, criticism can be a good thing. If we point out mistakes from a position of love and of wanting the other person to be the best they can be, itβs a useful tool that we can use to help others improve. Otherwise, it can easily turn into a destructive force that discourages and breaks people apart. We tend to find it easy to point out failings and weaknesses in others, while overlooking or excusing our own faults. Thatβs what Jesus is bringing to our attention when He says: βHow can you say to your friend, βLet me take that little piece of dust out of your eyeβ? Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. You hypocrite!β (Matthew 7:4-5 NCV). Theyβre strong words from Jesus, so we definitely need to take notice and avoid being unfair and judging others more harshly than we judge ourselves. Sometimes we might be overly critical to try and make ourselves look or feel better. Or we might be trying to hide the wounds of past experiences by using anger and criticism as a form of defence. Whatever the reason, Jesus gives us a clear instruction: βDo not judge, or you too will be judgedβ (v. 1 NIV). When God looks at us and sees our faults and all the mistakes we make, He treats us with grace and gently corrects us. But what if God criticised us as harshly as we sometimes criticise others? Weβd soon feel completely depressed. The truth is, God, who has the highest standards of all, treats us with love and care even when we fail to live up to those standards. So when we need to correct someone, letβs do the same, and aim to encourage, not discourage.
What Now?
Gather a load of coins. Every time you say or think something critical about someone else, put a coin in your right pocket. Every time youβre self-critical, put one in your left pocket. At the end of the day, count how many youβve collected. Notice any difference between the pockets?