Critical Spirit

Two things I know for certain about myself: 1. I am usually a poor judge of character and 2. I do not see myself as others view me. I've had occasion in the past couple of weeks to get a glimpse into #2. I have recently decided to change jobs and my announcement to the staff I work with came as a surprise to them. Their response came as a surprise to me. I'm not exactly sure what I thought would be their view, but I certainly didn't expect them to be as emotionally upset as they were. I figured we'd merrily part ways and be done with it. I figured wrong. I know for me it will be difficult letting go of what I've come to feel good at and saying goodbye to people I've come to count as friends will be tough as well.

This has made me think a lot about how Jesus views me. I want to know that I see myself as He does, after all, His opinion is what counts. This past weekend I had an occasion to see an ugly side to Carla that certainly needed exposing. I went to an event where the people in attendance weren't 'my kind' of people. First big red flag is that I have "my kind of people"! As I sat in judgement of their lives (mind you, I don't have a clue what 'their lives' are like), God used the prayer of one of my inner circle to convict me. As he prayed before our meal, he was so humble in his confession about how he viewed people that I was immediately convicted. Yet, to prove the point that I needed to change, God used 'My Utmost for His Highest' to bring the point home.

Chambers writes:

Matthew 7:1

"Jesus' instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says "Don't". The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person. There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person's situation. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God"

Father, I am so thankful for Your Word which lays the truth up against the reality of my life. I am also thankful for the people you've placed along my path that point me to living a life that is pleasing to You. Lord, change me to see people as You do. Amen.