The Criticizer

We all have these great big huge beams in our eyes as compared to the splinters in the eyes of those we are judging. These beams then effectively blind us to our true spiritual condition.

The church also suffers from a judgmental and critical spirit. We are to restore, not criticize. We are to be compassionate, not censorious. We need to pull people up, not push them down, and we need to speak words of kindness and love, not negative and destructive words.

At seminary, a professor was known for some pretty elaborate object lessons. One day he put up a large target on the wall and told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked and put it on the target and then throw darts at them.

The students took to the task with great energy and their pictures and the target behind started to get ripped to shreds. At the end the professor removed the target on the wall to reveal a picture of Jesus which now as completely mangled.

Quoting Jesus, the professor said, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Mathew 25:40 NKJV)

I am told that you could hear a pin drop.

In verse five Jesus gives us another way we can overcome this deep-rooted fault finding flaw. It is known as the mirror effect. It’s where we see in ourselves what we criticize or judge in others.

Therefore, if we’re to mirror anybody, it really should be Jesus Christ.

When we begin to see Jesus in our own life, then we’ll begin to see Jesus in the lives of others, and when we see Jesus in them we’ll be a lot less likely to toss darts in their direction.

But like so many, when we see even the tiniest flaw, we make it into a mountain. Therefore, when we criticize for even the smallest thing, we’re producing massive problems, not only for those we’re criticizing, but also for ourselves.

Therefore, let’s start seeing Jesus in others and ourselves so that we can then truly judge with righteous judgment.

To stop this critical and judgmental attitude, we need to change our thinking.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 NKJV)

To change our thinking, we need to replace our can not’s with God’s can’s, because through what Jesus has done for us, becoming that sin offering, we now have the power of God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit to accomplish what God asks.

When we get re-aligned with God, we can now believe, change, love and be loved, forgive and be forgiven, make a difference, accomplish great things, stand in the midst of adverse circumstance, defeat the enemy, and finish the race God has set before us.

No one wants to be known as “The Criticizer.” Instead we’d rather be known as Christ-like. That is, someone who has a Christ-like attitude who forgives the sins of others.

We need to be more like Jesus and be able to say what He said to the woman caught in adultery.

“‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’” (John 8:10-11 NKJV)