Criticism = dwelling on the perceived faults of a person or situation while excluding what is good.
Biblical example – Numbers 12:1- 12 (please read and meditate on this section of Scripture)
In the above passage, we find an example of Miriam’s criticism of Moses. Moses (guided by God) was leading the people of Israel through the wilderness, trying to reach the Promised Land. Miriam (Moses’ big sister) along with Aaron (Israel’s lead priest), attack Moses for marrying a “Cushite woman.” For those of you who do not know the background, the most likely explanation of their complaint is this: Moses had been married previously and his wife (Zipporah) had passed away. Now Moses had chosen a new wife, and Miriam disagreed with this choice. She encourages Aaron, to join with her in harsh criticism against Moses. Their actions have the potential to cause an uprising against Israel’s leader.
What is the result? We see God respond with anger to Miriam’s critical attitude and she is stricken with leprosy. Seeing God’s intervention, Aaron admits that they have sinned. Moses cries out to the Lord on Miriam’s behalf (with a humble attitude of love). After seven days, God heals Miriam and she rejoins her people.
From this passage, we learn three things:
1) Criticism ruins our fellowship with God.
Criticism is a sin. Sin separates us from God.
2) Criticism hurts us.
When we choose to sin, we choose suffering. The attitude of criticism will produce tension, emotional turmoil, and significant stress. Study after study shows that negative thoughts affect the way we emotionally function. After years and years, criticism becomes a habit which can lead to serious emotional dysfunction. It certainly can become a significant factor in disorders like depression, or anxiety.
3) Criticism destroys our relationship with others.
Dealing with marital turmoil, a lack of connection with friends, isolation from coworkers or your church community? A critical attitude is often the culprit. It points us toward the negative in everything we see. It focuses us only on the faults of others. It helps us to feel justified in our anger and separation from society.
In today’s culture, I’ve seen many people become isolated, until the only connection they have outside of work or family is a daily dose of media entertainment. Many times it is a critical attitude that leads to this cynicism about the outside world. A critical attitude, can drive us away from relationships and isolate us from authentic living.
Human nature is this, people are both good and bad. The world is both good and bad. We are good because God created us. The world is good because God created it. Everything God creates is good. There is also evil in the world. Because we deal with the problem of sin (See the book of Genesis chapter 1 and go forward) there are also bad things in our human nature and in the world. Here is the point, a critical attitude allows us only to see the bad. This is destructive. A critical attitude will lead us into emotions, behaviors, and life consequences we want to prevent.
Let us begin to root out the critical attitude this week by reflecting on the following:
- Am I harsh and negative in my opinions of others? Do I get carried away in criticism of others or negativity about the culture? Am I a critical person?
- Am I isolated from others or from God? Has my heart turned toward a spirit of negativity because of my critical attitude? Am I willing to acknowledge that my isolation is due to a critical attitude?
- And I willing to acknowledge that criticism is a sin. With God’s help, and am I willing to turn away from my critical attitude?
Next week we will explore the healing attitude of love. John 3:16 promises, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As you do the above examination, please be encouraged, Jesus loves you! Go to Him in prayer this week. With Him, we can overcome any burden, any problem, any situation. He is faithful. Believe in Him.
