0617 謹防批評他人
你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。《馬太福音7:1》
關於論斷別人，耶穌的指示是非常簡單，祂說：「不要」。一般基督徒是我們所知最尖銳的批評者。批評是人們日常活動之一，但在屬靈的領域裡，批評卻一事無成。批評的效果就是分化了被批評者的力量。聖靈是唯一在合適位置上作出批評者，只有祂能夠指出錯誤，而不傷害或損害。當你心存批評時，你是不可能進入與神的相交中。批評使你變得苛刻、報復和殘忍，並留下一種安慰和奉承的想法，讓你認為自己不知怎麼地就是比別人更優越。耶穌說，作為祂的門徒，你應該培養一種從不批判的氣質。這不會立即發生，但必須經過一段時間的培養，你必須時刻警惕任何讓你自以為比人優越之事。
我生命無法逃脫耶穌的銳利的鑒察。如果我看到你眼中的小刺，就意味着我自己眼裡有一根梁木了（見馬太福音 7:3-5）。我在你身上看到的每個錯事，神也在我身上找到。每次我論斷時，我就定了我自己的罪（見羅馬書2:17-24）。停下來拿尺子去衡量別人。在每個人的處境中，總是至少還有一個是我們一無所知的事實。神首先做的事就是給我們一次徹底的屬靈潔凈。在那之後，在我們裡面就不可能再存留驕傲了。在我覺察到在我裡面除了神的恩典之外還有什麼之後，我從來沒有遇到過一個我會絕望或徹底失望的人。
來自章伯斯的智慧
隨着年齡的增長，我是否變得更高尚、更好、更有幫助、更謙卑呢？我是否展現出讓人認識到與耶穌同在的生命？或者我是否變得更加自我主張，更加有意地堅持自己的方式？對自己說真話是一件很偉大的事情。《幫助之地》
0617 Beware of Criticizing Others
Judge not, that you be not judged. —Matthew 7:1
Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.– The Place of Help, 1005 R