Beware of Criticizing Others

Judge not, that you be not judged —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. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. 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. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. 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 (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24). 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. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. 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.

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不挑剔的品性

你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。 （太七1）

耶穌對論斷的看法是：[不要]。一般信徒是最擅於挑剔的。批評是人的本性，但在屬靈領域裡，批評絕不能成事。批評就是將被批評者的力量削弱。其實只有聖靈才真有批評的身分，指出錯處而不至招來傷害。你若帶著挑剔的脾氣，是無法與神交通契合的。你會變得剛硬、敵視、殘忍，或沾沾自喜，以為高人一等。耶穌說，作為一個門徒，應當培養口不言人過的品質。這不是一勞永逸的，要隨時當心，不讓任何事使你自高、睥睨一切。

耶穌洞悉一切，誰也無可遁形。我若見你眼中有刺，那我眼中必然有樑木。我見到你的任何錯失，神都在我身上找到了。我什麼時候論斷人，就什麼時候定自己的罪（羅二17-20）。不要在他人身上濫施尺度，每個人總有些隱情，是我們無法了解的。神首先要來一次屬靈大掃除，使我們不再驕傲自滿。每想到若非神的恩典，我裡面根本一無所有，那就不會對任何人感到絕望了。

祈禱◆主啊，我仰望你，求你幫助我正確地敬拜你。為著我與生俱來可敬拜你，我讚美你，可是，我的生活卻沒有速速按照著它當行的去回應你和你的美善。主啊，幫助我。