You know how the dash in your car has a bunch of indicators that tell you when there is a problem under the hood?
Recently God has been teaching me about an indicator in my life that prompts me to realize there is a problem inside. A critical heart.
I can ignore it for a while but we all know if you ignore the oil light for long enough, the problem can become bigger – so big in fact that you find yourself stuck on the side of the road going nowhere.
37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; Luke 6:37
“Stop it, Tammy. Stop judging others.”
Now, I’m not one to go around giving my opinion on others or verbally sizing people up. In fact, I desire to be kind and to encourage people in general.
If that’s what God is talking about here in this passage of Luke, I can check this off my list…I mean I don’t have a critical heart…
…of course until someone crosses the line into ridiculous. Let’s be honest, don’t we all seem to have a limit?
The criminal, the addict, the liar, the cheat.
I guess the question that God poses to me in times where my heart is critical is, “How is it that you’re standing?”
“How is it that you’re standing?”
The importance of exposing our critical hearts is for the healing that needs to take place within ourselves. God taught this lesson the other day when I was talking with my son. We were talking about an incident that happened with some boys his age and he said, “Boy, what an idiot.” I cringed. I would agree whole-heartedly that the choices were extremely foolish. I felt a sense of a need for justice for sure. But, I also thought to myself, “What would bring this boy to such a poor choice?”
Hudson has never known abandonment. He’s never been hit with a barrage of belittling comments or abusive words. How could I expect someone so blessed to understand why a peer would act out this way? I spoke up and said, “Hudson, he just needs Jesus. We all need Jesus!”
Only in understanding the depth of his own sinful condition and need for forgiveness could Hudson extend mercy. I whispered a quiet prayer. “God, help him to understand the grace and mercy he himself desperately needs and has received from You.” I love my son so much I don’t want him to be driven by a critical heart.
God loves you and doesn’t want you to be driven by a critical heart.
In any way that I take personal credit for the grace I stand in, criticism will rise up and it’s sin.
Standing before God, I HAVE crossed the line. My righteousness is as filthy rags. I am too far gone and in need of a Savior. And thank God, I’ve asked for His salvation. I am who I am by God’s grace alone. Honestly, any temptation to point a finger at someone’s failures reflects a brokenness in me and a lack of understanding of the grace and mercy God pours out on me each day!
Bottom line is, when I criticize others, there is a part of me that does not understand the cross.
So I’ve asked God to help me become sensitive to the indicator light that flashes, “critical heart”. When I’m tempted to criticize others I stop and ask myself, “What have I taken credit for that belongs to God?” If I struggle with the injustice I see around me, I can confidently leave that in His hands. It matters to God. He sees all and will make everything right.
How about you? Do you have a critical heart? Maybe ask someone close to you…better yet, maybe you shouldn’t. Is that indicator light flashing? Go to God and think on His goodness and grace that has been given you. Then ask Him to help you to pour that same grace out to others.
Alanna - I feel like this was written for me today. I’ve been very angry with the owners of my daughter’s gymnastics gym because my daughter broke her foot at practice and they didn’t call me to let me know she was hurt. She’s fine now but I have not been able to forgive them. Their poor judgement delayed her medical care and meant my daughter spent several more hours in pain that could have been avoided. I had had some issues with them before this but I could try and be understanding and see their point of view. But it’s like I have this imaginary line, and once someone crosses that line, they can do nothing right! And now that they are on the wrong side of the line, I see something wrong in every action and every communication from them. And since they send out emails just about every day, I’m mad at them alot! For my own sake, I need to get past it. I will never leave my daughter at the gym without me or my husband present again, but I need to stop being so critical of them for everything. I’m not usually a very critical or complaining type of person and I don’t want to turn into that type of person. So thank you for this reminder!