Friday Fight 195: The Corruption in Criticism
Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF195.
How many of us have noticed an increase in the level of criticism around us? It is a common experience that leads us to question the root of why a person is never satisfied or happy. When we stop and look deeper, we realize the criticism likely causes it. Maybe the food wasn’t good, or the church service was missing this or that. It could be that we observe criticism in the way a person speaks to their spouse or about their coworkers. As we watch closely, does the criticism from others stem from a correction being offered or because nothing we do is done correctly? These questions invite us to reflect on the impact of the words around us.
The Corruption in Criticism:
We all have days when we realize we have said very few uplifting things. We start the day with inadequate sleep, congested traffic, and stress at work; then, we continue to spiral to an unhealthy place. We return home carrying this heaviness from our whirlwind of complaints, only to realize we crossed a line with our words that robbed us of the day. Why didn’t we stop, and now what? The Bible says in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Being repeatedly critical is more than just a few complaints. It is speaking with an undertone of judgment about people and situations in areas we perceive they lack. Criticism can be manipulated by placing it next to something positive, destructively delivered with a smile, or followed up with “just kidding.” None of these changes make it any less impactful.
Prayer is a powerful tool in combating criticism and its spiritual impact. While praying, we can ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any critical tendencies within us. It's surprising how easily a critical spirit can take over tongues. Do we unknowingly manipulate a narrative where we start praising someone and then voice things contradicting what we just said? Do we begin our day joyously, thanking the Lord for another day and the job providing for our family? Prayer can help us navigate these challenges and transform our speech. We are all guilty of this because our world justifies our judgment and criticism, but our God does not!
As I shared this post with my younger son, he offered a profound perspective on being thankful. After witnessing the spiritual corruption in being critical, he expressed gratitude for being shown holy lines drawn that were not crossed. When we live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are gently corrected in situations, phases, and daily habits. Maintaining control prevents us from going down destructive roads that only cause harm. He was honest in recognizing how difficult it is to maintain control in painful situations and takes time to thank God for providing restraints.
Regardless of how we view this spiritual line, we all have countless things to be thankful for. Spend time in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal every time a critical word is spoken. Realizing what our tongue has done and can do, even if it is only said to our significant other or best friends, can be the difference between speaking life or death over people. Life and death are in the power of the tongue; let’s make it our priority to speak life!
Pastor Shannon
River Church