STATUE FOR A CRITIC?
NOTE: This is from one of my devotional books - "God's Little Devotional Book for Leaders"
In a closer walk, Catherine Marshall writes: "One morning last week He gave me an assignment: for one day I was to go on a 'fast' from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody about anything." ...
... For the first half of the day, I simply felt void, almost as it I had been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch. I listened to the others and kept silent. In our talkative family no one seemed to notice. Bemused I notice that my comments were not missed.
The federal government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along fine with my penetrating observations. But still I didn't see what this fast on criticism was accomplishing - until the afternoon.
That afternoon, a specific, positive vision for this life was dropped into my mind with God's unmistakable hallmark on it - Joy! Ideas began to flow in a way I had not experienced in years. Now it was what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not corrected a single one of the multitudinous things I found fault with. What is had done was to stifle my own creativity.
In a closer walk, Catherine Marshall writes: "One morning last week He gave me an assignment: for one day I was to go on a 'fast' from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody about anything." ...
... For the first half of the day, I simply felt void, almost as it I had been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch. I listened to the others and kept silent. In our talkative family no one seemed to notice. Bemused I notice that my comments were not missed.
The federal government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along fine with my penetrating observations. But still I didn't see what this fast on criticism was accomplishing - until the afternoon.
That afternoon, a specific, positive vision for this life was dropped into my mind with God's unmistakable hallmark on it - Joy! Ideas began to flow in a way I had not experienced in years. Now it was what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not corrected a single one of the multitudinous things I found fault with. What is had done was to stifle my own creativity.
A STATUE HAS NEVER BEEN SET UP IN HONOR OF A CRITIC
My thoughts:
How has criticism stopped my joy that God wants to give?
What if I replaced complaining with gladness?
How has my criticism held up growth in my relationships?
There is a vast difference between complaining just to complain AND being loving in criticism. It really boils down to "what is the right thing to do" & "what is the loving thing to do"
Try a fast from complaining and criticism for just 24 hours. Just one day. The conversations you have may just surprise you.
posted by Stephen Hinkel at
10:08 PM
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