You may remember the post, "Misconceptions about WWJD" and how so many people perceive that what Jesus would do is never name-call, criticize, fault-find or raise his voice but yet he did all of those. What they don't understand and have failed to grasp by mere lack of thought - is that fact that there are two kinds of each of these things. One for the good and one for the bad.
First lets start by defining these terms:
Criticize - finding fault with, denouncing, evaluate
Fault-find - in essence, criticizing, pointing out wrongs in others
Complain - to express grief, pain or discontent; a formal accusation or charge
Now let's begin with the good side of these, or rather the ones Jesus himself portrayed.
- Standing up for the Truth
- Rebuking evil or wrong doing
- Pointing out the evil in another to warn others
When you stand up for the truth, whether its standing up for what the Bible says about truly being saved to all aspects of a holy life - you are sounding out against evil! Jesus stood many times for the truth, rebuked evil and pointed out the wrong/evil in others. In all essence of the words, he criticized the rulers of his day, found fault with them and complained about those who were using God's house for a house of merchandise! Yet, he did it all with Love (tough love) and to show others what is right. It was still compassion, still meekness, even though it was stern.
Stephen stood for the truth - even though it cut the hearers to the heart until they stoned him - he did not shut up for anyone!! I'm sure if Stephen had a blog, he would probably get virtually stoned as well lol. My own Pastor gets his inbox full of hate mail daily and his blog only opened him up to more of that but he still stands for the truth. Paul named names - Demas, for instance, and how he had forsaken him for the love of the world! Then don't forget Jesus' name-calling when he called Herod a fox. Yes - there is a time for everything!
We could go on and on about examples but I think you get the just. Now let's move on to the wrong side of the coin.
When someone criticizes God, find faults with righteous people living for God and seeks to tear down God's church - this is wrong! They seek to tear God, and all he stands for, down - they do the biddings of satan. They despise those that are good. They can't stand when a woman looks like her gender and vice versa for a man. They crave sin and lust continually and thus their heart is evil and they criticize, fault-find, murmer and complain sinfully. So for them, to come to a blog that holds the Bible and God as the sourcebook - it convicts them and they lash out with bitter criticisms and fault findings against God's Word and his standards for living.
We can go all the way back the days of Moses when the people murmured and complained about what God had given them for food. It just was never good enough. Un-thankful hearts motivated their complaints. Then in New Testament times we see the Pharisees finding fault with Jesus. Jesus had no fault! Yet, they watched his every move to try and find that one little thing that seemed to them to be enough to make something out of. Their fault finding was motivated by the spirit of satan to tear down the righteous.
So in summary, you can see the two sides of this coin. A lot of times I've heard people refer to another Pastor's exhortation to not criticize or find fault with others and they assume it pertains to all things. What they failed to realize is that Pastor himself does these two very things over the pulpit, yet he does them in the way that Jesus himself did - to provoke good works and rebuke sin! When he criticizes those that are doing wrong, those that have done evil in our midst and sometimes calls them out - it is for their good and Biblical. Just like Paul instructed. Paul even went as far to say turn them over to satan for their soul's sake!
Another Pastor was speaking tonight on not offending God or man. However, he was simply stating, not that we should never stand for God or anything righteous, as to not offend anyone, but rather not to offend in a way that is wrong. For if he had meant all offending is wrong, then we better stop preaching at people LOL. Stephen offended others so bad they stoned him, but you see.........he did the right offense, the one that stood for God and truth! There is a wrong offense and we know when we have done that - said a word out of turn that was inspired by bitterness or jealousy, etc.
If you are a true born-again believer, doth not the Bible say that those which love God's law "nothing shall offend them"? Psalm 119:165 So, if you are offended, what does that say about you? Most of the time, it is our pride that is offended. Other times, what we think is offense, is in actuality - conviction, because we know what we are doing is not right and we can't stand it when someone else hits that spot.
Someone was mentioning to me recently about how they endeavored to not hear anything negative. (I imagine they will be a cave dweller soon) They took the idea from a message Pastor preached about not letting negativity in your ears. However, did Pastor stop reading the news? No, he shares stories a lot of bad things that are happening. He was talking about those that want to just talk negative - to have a coke with the devil, so to speak. Who needs that in their ears all the time was what he referring to.
Misconceptions come from a weak walk with the Lord. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. God will lead you but if you don't spend time with Him, how will you know which way to go or what to do? You won't!
It's high time we start to look unto Jesus and let his life, here on earth teach us! For all the answers lie in the great Book; The Bible; God's Word!! It is truly an instruction book to life.