“Judge [or criticize] not, that
you be not judged [or criticized]” (Matt. 7:1).

      How
many of you, my readers, enjoy receiving criticism? Not many, if any, I reckon.
Now, how many of you have ever given out criticism? Most, if not all, I would
guess. So why do we dish it out if neither we nor anyone else enjoys receiving
it? This is a question we all need to ponder.

      The
above verse is fast becoming one of the best known and most widely quoted of
all Scripture. It is being used more and more against those who dare teach that
certain activities and behaviors are wrong and sinful. But did the Lord intend
that His disciples never discern between right and wrong in themselves
and others? In Matt. 18:15-17 the Lord clearly authorizes His people not only
to discern sins committed by others but also to go to such a person and point
out the sin. For what purpose? Showing that I am better than that sinner? No,
not at all, but rather for the purpose of drawing that person back to the Lord.
“If he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.”

      Notice
that Matt. 7:1 is not an absolute prohibition against judging or criticizing
another. Verse 5 gives one condition that needs to be satisfied before we are
qualified to criticize another:“First cast out the beam [or log] out of your
own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the mote [or speck] out of your
brother’s eye.” However, this condition is helpful only if I have the spiritual
discernment to detect the log in my own eye.

      Another
condition is implied in verse 1 itself:“Judge not, that you be not judged.” In
other words, if you don’t want to be criticized, and if you don’t appreciate
the value of it for yourself, then you are not qualified by the Lord to give it
out to others. But as we grow spiritually, we will begin to pray along with the
psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts;
and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psa. 139:23,24), and “Cleanse me
from secret faults” (Psa. 19:12). In what ways does God answer these prayers?
(1) He may impress a Scripture upon our hearts during our private Bible study
(“All Scripture … is profitable … for reproof, for correction,” 2 Tim.
3:16,17); (2) He may use the public preaching and teaching of the Scriptures to
impress upon our hearts the need for correction and change (“Preach the Word
… reprove, rebuke, exhort,” 2 Tim. 2:2); or (3) He may send another believer
to us to point out our sin (Matt. 18:15; Gal. 6:1). Most of us can easily
handle the first two means of correction, but many of us have difficulty with
the third one. Why is that? Our human pride gets in the way (1 John 2:16).

      The
more we grow in Christ—in that One who was “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt.
11:29), the One who “humbled Himself and became obedient unto death” (Phil.
2:8)—the more we will exhibit these characteristics of Christ (see Gal.
5:22,23). Thus, we will grow in the ability to be ready and willing to receive
reproof, correction, and criticism from other persons, whether believers or
unbelievers, whether family members or non-relatives, and whether persons older
or younger than ourselves.

      As
we begin accepting and valuing the criticism of ourselves, we will discern the
ways of offering criticism that make it easiest to accept. Then, and only then,
are we prepared and qualified by the Lord to pass along criticism to others.
When we see a brother or sister “overtaken in a fault” or sinning in some way,
we first fall on our knees before the Lord. We examine ourselves as to that
fault or sin. We make intercession to the Lord for that person (1 Tim. 2:1).
And if the Lord lays it on our heart to “go and tell him his fault” (Matt.
18:15), we go with fear and trembling, “in the spirit of meekness” (Gal. 6:1),
and with much prayer and dependence upon the Lord. “If the sinning person
“hears you, you have gained your brother [or sister]” (Matt. 18:15), restoring
him or her to a closer walk with the Lord and to precious fellowship with
yourself.

      So
let us pray for the ability to accept and value positive, spiritual, Biblical
criticism from others, that we may in turn be “thoroughly furnished unto all
good works” (2 Tim. 3:17), including that of helping to restore our sinning brothers
and sisters to the Lord.