Overcoming Criticism
/This morning I was confessing the sin of being tempted to think critical thoughts about others, so I asked the Lord what is the root of criticism. These are the thoughts that came to my mind which I wrote down, and I thought it might be helpful to share it with anyone who is interested in reading it.
The root of criticism is when we feel blamed ourselves, and then relieve our feelings by criticizing someone else. This fear of being blamed usually starts in childhood in our original family relationships, and continues throughout life as a way of self-protection. This practice started back in the Garden of Eden. This is why Jesus has taken the blame and shame of the world, and will at the close of the great controversy put it back on the head of the scapegoat.
But the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins does not give us the right to consciously continue in our sins, and expect His free grace to make up the difference. If we truly love God and want freedom from guilt and shame ourselves, we must be willing to forgive others just as we are forgiven our sins, trespasses and shortfalls. "Judge not that ye be not judged," the Bible says. If we judge others, it shows that we believe we have to work our way into favor with God and others [like the older brother of the prodigal son] in order to be loved and safe from condemnation, rejection, and/or punishment. When we truly accept God's love, mercy, and forgiveness, we will not judge and condemn others.
This doesn't mean that when we receive mercy and forgiveness we can feel free to continue sinning and live under the umbrella of grace. Grace includes the power to overcome because we now have a relationship with God that provides for victory over sin. When we are sinning we are not plugged into the power of God to stop sinning. When we receive God's forgiveness, mercy, acceptance, and love, we are plugged into His power to stop sinning and return His love, and agree with His hatred of sin, for it separates us from Him. But if, after we have been forgiven and restored to God's favor we criticize others, we show that we are not sorry for the sin itself, but only for the uncomfortable results we experienced a result of sin. True love is the only answer, which brings us the fruit of righteousness, holiness, and love for God and mercy for our brothers and sisters.
Rom. 15:1-3: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: 'The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me' (Ps. 69:9)."
Verses 5-7: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Jesus Christ, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."
"We must learn to bear with the peculiarities of those around us." TD 262.
"It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready to continually guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult.... The meekness of Christ, manifested in the home, will make the inmates happy; it provokes no quarrel, gives back no angry answer, but soothes the irritated temper and defuses a gentleness that is felt by all in its charmed circle. Wherever cherished, it makes the families of earth a part of the one great family above." MB 16, 17.