Day 36- THE CRITICAL QUESTIONS

Selected

PRAYER DEVOTIONAL

Lord,

Do I see the negative in life, the smudge on the beautiful white linen? The one missed note in the musical offering? Am I quick to tear down a person, a program, an idea, a ministry? Do I share with others all my trials and problems, even if they consist of only minor pains? Do I know the difference between a crisis and an inconvenience? Do I allow others to be human, or expect the divinity that only You possess? Do I raise doubt and suspicion in other minds? If someone were around me for a day, would they leave encouraged about life or discouraged? How many people, if they knew the real flurry of words spoken from my lips about them, would be lifted up and their burden made lighter?

And when the necessity arises to share correction, do I approach it in love? Is my motivation to help people, or to tear them down to my size and punish them? Am I somehow trying to lift myself up by putting them down? Am I so insecure in who I am that I am trying to make myself something by making someone less? Is my problem one of control? Do I resent authority? Is my problem jealousy, or envy at what God has given others?

Do I become offended easily? Do I take things personally? Do I exaggerate the intensity of my pain? Do I criticize merely because I do not understand?

Wrecking Crew

I stood on the streets of a busy town, watching men tearing a building down. With a, "Ho heave, ho,” and a lusty yell, they swung a beam, and a sidewall fell. I asked, the foreman of the crew, "Are these men hired to build also?" “Ah, no," he said, “'No indeed. To tear down, a common laborer I need. I can tear down as much in a day or two as would take skilled men a tear to do." And then I thought as I went my way, just which of these roles am I trying to play? Have I walked life's road with care, measuring each deed with rule and square? Or am l one of those who roam the town, content with the labor of tearing down? - Author Unknown

Scripture Study

Romans 2:17-26

1.       What are the behaviors I most often speak out against?

Am I guilty of these, or worse, behaviors?

How do I excuse, or rationalize, my own, sin?

Selected: Spiritual leaders range from Local Church Department Leaders to the General Conference President.

1.       How did God deal with those who criticized His leaders? (Match name to situation)

A.      _____ Mocked Moses because he had a Cushite wife, and was stricken with leprosy. (Numbers  12)

B.      _____ Led the people of Israel to rebel against Moses and were swallowed by the earth. (Nehemiah 16)

C.      _____ Despised David because she was embarrassed that he danced before the Lord. (2 Samuel 6)

D.      _____ Cursed and threw stones at David and was executed. (2 Samuel 16; 1 Kings 2)

E.       _____ Mocked Elisha and laughed at his baldness and were killed by bears. (2 Kings 2)

F.       _____ Sorcerer lied about Paul in an attempt to turn the pro counsel against him, Stricken with blindness. (Acts 13)

Korah, Bar-Jesus, Michael, Miriam, Youths, Shemei

2.       Is there a time to speak against leaders? 2 Samuel 19:4-7

Was this criticism, to help leadership or hurt?

(Confronting with sin is not the same as criticism. We are called to follow the process of Matthew 18).

Prayer

Lord, let me see myself today. Stop the critical spirit in me. Bring to mind each time I find myself tempted to point out someone’s fault something in that person worthy of praise. Fill me with gratitude to take the place of my gloom.  Open my eyes to see Your divine presence all around me. Give me vision to see the rainbow not just the cloud. Then train my tongue to pour out praise, appreciation, encouragement, gratitude, optimism and hope.