Critical Spirit

Meditation
Philippians 2:3--Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

The surest test to determine if I struggle with pride is to gauge the acidity of my thoughts toward other people.  I confess I have a long way to go and were it not for Jesus I would never make it. Just the other night, three people were insensitive to the needs of a group I was leading.  Rather than address the offenders firmly with love, I found my thoughts ripping the leader of the three for her immaturity and spoiled manner. 
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It is easier to be critical than to be patient.  It is easier to cut apart than to edify those who annoy.  It is easier to judge than forgive.  It is easier to water the critical vine with its "superior" vicious thorns than to yank out the roots of this bitter-tasting plant.  If I harvest its fruit, I will damage my communion with God, my commitment to others and my own contentment.  The Holy Spirit can eliminate this weed if I will obey God's Word which says, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things” (Phi. 4:8).
 
Inspiration
Criticism makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person.  It is impossible to develop the characteristics of a saint and maintain a critical attitude.—Oswald Chambers in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount
It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper.—Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest 
 
©1997 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)