Spiritual Gift of Criticism

Now, don't get me wrong. This isn't going to be about becoming mamby-pamby mushmouthed pushovers... but i've come to realize that there's something that has to be said:



Now, you may have seen me in action--at coffee shops around Cincinnati, throwing down radical Bible teaching, showing Jesus for the radical subversive, commanding Lord, King of Spirits, Truth, Life, The Way...



You may not have, but have heard that I'm solid in the message, holding to it in my personal life and preaching it hard in places where it's not heard...



or you may be visiting me from afar, skipping my blog for the angst and honesty of my journey...



but there's a huge problem in the christian life, lately.



It's the thought that criticising is helpful... that telling others what they're doing wrong is enough... yes, it's very often necessary to do that, but it's rarely enough.



Think about the speck and the plank! Usually, when we want to point out something in someone else, we have to go back to ourselves... Then we'll have the ability to HELP...



This isn't the road to sentimental relativism. It's the road to true effectiveness...



So next time you think you know something that someone else really needs, STOP. Do you pray? How much? How long? Try it. Now, some more. Wait. Wait. Ok. now, STILL STOP!



Look to yourself! Get your own life right. Forget about correcting the wrongs around you for a second with your tongue! Fix them with your renewed life! With words that come from love, not just knowledge!



Go discover afresh your own need, guilt, and the degree to which you're loved and forgiven... Then bring THAT to others!



As it is, we're just talking each other to death...



But remember that there is a time to share. The Bible says we're to correct each other, rebuke, admonish, and encourage... Don't neglect to use Words of Life on each other... Eph. 4 says to speak the truth in love... So don't stop what is right, just "righten" it up!



you see, you don't get to not speak. you have to speak to each other... otherwise, we'd be Benedictines, with vows of silence and no laughter. You have to share, and speak for each others' comfort and strengthening.



But look deeply to yourself! And I will to myself. And you bet that I'll end up doing more than just telling you what's wrong! I'll be there to HELP, if you truly want to follow Jesus.



If someone doesn't want to follow, it becomes evident soon enough to the One who sees that... He alone knows how to deal with it...