This Is Who I Am

There is never an excuse for criticism. Never.

Oh, we have our excuses. We all do. We get together with a friend or two and somehow we always get around to talking about someone, be it a friend, parent, church elder, pastor. Perhaps we don’t mean to be mean and at first we don’t think we are; but we are.

We can justify anything. We can say that we are just stating facts. We can say that we were just passing on information for prayer purposes, but if we are willing to be honest, we know the truth. We were criticizing or gossiping just because we can, just because it is easy to do; easier than lifting people up. What we say might be truth but just because criticism is truth does not mean we have the right to speak against someone.

It’s called a critical spirit and it belongs to our old nature. The more we participate in it the more we are dragged back to our old nature. The more we participate in it the less we look like Jesus. The more we participate the more we become an agent of destruction.

A critical spirit demonstrates a lack of love and reveals our distance from Jesus. The fact is, the closer we are to Jesus the more grace we show, the more we encourage and lift up, the more we choose to look past the faults of others to see what Jesus sees.

The biggest lie is, “I just want them to be all they can be”. Yeah, that’s why we are talking behind their back instead of to their face. That’s not concern, it’s hatred, or at least a form of it, when we speak words to destroy someone.

I have participated in critical talk because it is an easy thing to do; it takes very little effort to find faults. But I have always been convicted of my actions and words. That is when we have a choice, to repent and draw close to Jesus, or ignore it and grow further apart. I have watched a lot of people with a critical spirit go from a beautiful Christian to an ugly mal-formed creature that no one wants to be around.

What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do? Did he choose to destroy or restore? I think every word he spoke and every action he took demonstrated he but others ahead of himself because his desire was for them to be made complete. What are you doing with your words my brothers and sisters? What are those words doing, bringing life or death?

Here is a verse that should give you some guidance in the matter:

What right do you have to criticize someone else’s servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right. (Romans 14:4, CEV)

As followers of Jesus our eyes are always on his example and our conviction is always from the Spirit. We are governed by the law of love which is Jesus. In every situation, every conversation, love must be the rule. Our words are to be seasoned with grace.

So when we get together with friends, refuse to go to that dark place. Bind that critical Spirit and make the choice to lift up instead of tear down. It’s time to open the windows of our heart and allow a fresh wind to blow through, the wind of the Spirit. Renew your heart and mind in Christ, don’t lie to yourself about this matter but instead be set free from the critical spirit.

Discouragement comes in many different forms and for many different reasons. It can come due to finances, relationships, lost opportunities, unrealized dreams. It can result in depression, lose of sleep, irritability, lack of energy, quitting, lost focus, self-centered thinking. Discouragement can be a destroyer of worlds if we allow it to be.

Discouragement has many different triggers but we have a choice in it. We can’t stop it from knocking on the door but we can decide not to invite it in. Just because it comes looking through the window does not mean we have to allow it to take up residence. Discouragement will come but we have the power over what to do with it when it does.

Discouragement will take up residence and set about in it’s destructive nature when we decide to dwell on circumstances instead of faith. Because of Jesus we do not believe “what you see is what you get”. Our life, hope and the actions we take are based on the promises of Jesus, our Lord and King. When we realize these promises and place our hope in them instead of the strength of man, the door becomes locked against discouragement. There may be a knock on the door but we are too busy praising our God to answer.

That is the only real and proper response to discouragement: praise. We know this as a fact because the Word tells us and we have already experienced it for ourselves:

Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
    I trust you!
And I will praise you again
    because you help me,and you are my God. (Psalm 42:11, CEV)

It is a decision, a conscience act of faith, to turn our back on the facts of this world and say to Jesus, “I trust you”. It is when we decide to turn away from the welcoming darkness of discouragement and fill our soul with the sweet praise of Jesus. It is when we choose to remember his goodness, what he has done and what he has promised to do. It is when we decide to dance instead of sit down. It is when we decide to laugh instead of cry. It is when we decide to press on instead of lie down and sleep.

Discouragement and depression are soul destroyers but Jesus is the lover of our soul. You are a child of God and have no part in discouragement. Nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus. Nothing can stop you from dwelling in him. He has given you peace and joy that no one and no thing can take from you. It is all a matter of choice and decision. Who will you choose to trust? Who will you decide to serve? Who will receive your praise today? For the sake of your peace let your choice be Jesus.

It is a shame that most people do not know much about their own faith, beliefs and practices. It is a shame that they stick to the highlights, the cheat notes version of the Bible. They know key passages but they don’t know the wonderful depth. It is usually these people who treat God like a genie in a bottle, believing he is just here to support us in our living. Precious few Christians understand that Jesus has given us a task and we are to be found faithful in it.

It is not a game we are playing. There is a goal and we are moving toward it. Along the way we have battles, victories, learning opportunities, spiritual growth, but it is all in a forward motion. Our task as we move along is to present Jesus to as many people as we can, and for those who accept him, we are to teach them, helping them to be disciples of Jesus. We don’t need to attend formal classes and get our degree in theology. We need only be part of the Church, study the Word and walk in the Spirit.

Most people do not even understand that there is a reward for our faithfulness. The reward is not salvation. If it was then salvation would not be by faith and grace but by works. Salvation is the work of God that is given to us freely in a divine act of grace. However, salvation is not the end of it. After salvation we become members of the body with the task of making disciples and when we walk in this faithfulness we will receive a crown:

I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful. ⁸ So a crown will be given to me for pleasing the Lord. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Not a crown because I accepted Jesus but a crown because I pleased him. Other passages talk about the jewels that will be placed in the crown, and yet another passage speaks about how each of us will cast our crowns at Jesus’ feet. I don’t know about you but I want something of value to cast at his feet. I don’t want to be the one walking around without a crown, demonstrating that I accepted Jesus but was not faithful in my task. And I don’t want to have a jewel-less crown. When I cast it at Jesus`feet I want it to have value; not for prestige but because Jesus deserves my very best to be placed at his feet.

That means in this world nothing can touch my faith. It means in this place I will pay whatever price I must pay to remain determined to go all the way in my race. Not only must I finish this race but I must fight with style, doing all things well, to the best of the ability of the Spirit in me. No short cuts. No cheating. No quick fixes. I want to say with my last breath and say it in truth, “I have been faithful”.

If you say “I don’t need a crown, I only want Jesus”, I applaud your love for Jesus and mourn your ignorance. The crown is a fact. It is how Jesus will set apart those who truly understood that love meant obedience. I will gladly receive the crown, not because I want a crown, but because it will please the Lord to  reward his faithful servants. And those who understood what Paul meant by running the race will certainly be counted in the faithful.

We have a purpose. We are moving toward a goal. We have tasks to complete. Jesus told us to be faithful to these tasks. He told us if we really love him we will obey what he has commanded. Will you have a crown to cast at his feet?