Critical Spirit- Turn the Table- FRIDAY
Critical Spirit
by
Rocky Fleming
Friday - Turn the Table
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
Here's a thought. True Christianity is counter culture to the cultures of the world. It was that way in the beginning, and it will always be so if we follow the teachings of scripture. Most of the time the life of a Christian is counter culture to the world around us. If we live as Christ teaches, then we will live in contrast to our culture, just as He did. If we do not, then it will show that our life has become identified with our culture and the social norms of the culture we live in. You can be assured that the social norms of this day are in contrast to how a Christian is led by Holy Scripture. You can choose to disobey scripture by disagreeing with what is taught, and that is your choice. But there is no room given by God, who inspired scripture, for compromising His Word with a misleading false doctrine to adapt to cultural norms. This is a dangerous practice, for it is counterfeit Christianity, and while it promises value it eventually shows the truth that it is false currency.
We see many people now days who say they are followers of Christ, but do not identify with, or follow the teachings of His Word. Now I'm sure you are thinking of some radical way out there examples of people and churches like that and you think that you would not say or do some of the things they are doing. After all we all see the impermissible sins for those other people, but fail to see the permissible sins we allow our self. It is OK for "our people" to be appalled about "those other people" if we are not doing what they are doing. Right? But let's not let our self off so easily, for Jesus spoke of people who think this way. Read it yourself:
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not like other people-cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18: 9-14 NLT)
I tell you the truth. As I read this account with what Jesus taught, tears fall from my eyes for I identify with both people that were mentioned. I have sinned with my tongue. I have gossiped and slandered people. I have judged people, and many times wrongly. I have had a critical spirit. Like the Pharisee, I have had at times allowed my spiritual pride to cause me to look at other people and their shortcomings without looking at mine first. Because of this I am repentant and broken like the tax collector was. The awareness of my past failures makes me alert to my addiction to sin, and I have to keep a close watch on my perspective for I could fall into a critical spirit without seeing my slide into the pit that awaits me. I know that I cannot go along with the norms around me. I cannot allow a fun group to drag me into gossip. I know that I cannot judge another person's actions as an indication of their intent and heart. But I fall so easily that way. There is so much that I cannot see, and it disturbs me to think that I am no different from the rest of the world when I judge another person based on an ignorant or false perception. There is such a great need for me to live in contrast to the point of view of my culture, and the tax collector in me beats his chest with regret that I miss the target as much as I do.
As Christians who are called by the name of Christ, we should be leaders with healthy reconciliations with each other, and with reaching a world around us that is desperate to see a contrast to the savagery that they live with. We have so much opportunity that it amazes me that I can walk in a room of several hundred people and see and hear fear, frustration, discord, prejudice, and anger. I see people who are so adversarial to the joyful, peaceful, guidance that God wants to give them that I weep for them. I think of these people and ask, "Lord, if they only knew You and Your heart, would they act this way?" Did I mention that the people in this room I speak of are in churches all across this country? They are in mixed race churches, and churches of a predominant race. It is the same for both. There is prejudice, and anger, hurt and unforgiveness in the Body of Christ, and it is not limited to one race in God's family. It permeates our Family, and it should not be so. But it is a fact.
When will we ever learn that we are breaking the heart of our King, our Father, our Savior, when we mistreat each other, especially in God's family? We are quick to quote Jesus' words with: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." But can we understand that He very well could have also said, "When you hurt them you hurt ME?" Do we get it that we nail Jesus right back on His cross to suffer for us over and over when we use our words so recklessly to hurt each other?
Is there any place in scripture or our perspective of Christ that a critical spiritby a Christian could be acceptable by our Father? Can we justify it in any manner? We could do so only if we live by the dog-eat-dog value system of this world. We would see it to be a normal thing that everybody has it from time to time. If any Christian would use this argument that it is a normal thing, a justifiable thing to carry around this criticism toward someone or some people or life in general, then I will tell you that this person embraces the values of this culture and not the values of Christ. A critical spirit will happen at times in all of us. We will stumble in this sin. But do not say that it is not sin, for forgiveness by Christ requires repentance and we must take ownership of our sin. We cannot repent if we do not see this evil spirit as sin.
It is time to turn the table. It is time to take a stand as God's child and His family to see any wrong words, any spiritual pride, any condemning and judgmental words, and any critical spirit in our life to be rejected from our life. It is time to show the world around us that Jesus is Lord, by the way they see Him in our words and actions. Take your stand my brothers. Declare war today on this evil spirit, and do not let it remain another day in your life. It's got to go!