I have written on this before, which means I have a problem.
Like a recurring dream that just seems to plague the sleeper’s mind, I have a critical spirit that keeps cropping up.
It started as soon as we walked through the door. The sanctuary was dark—too dark. I could barely find my way to my seat, but the stage was ablaze, highlighting the worship team, which made it easy to pick out the worship leader — whose hair was too long. Then the preacher’s attire was much too casual—jeans and a fleece jacket.
I went immediately into comparison mode. Our sanctuary has a bank of windows letting in beautiful light. Our worship leader doesn’t “seek” the limelight (my assessment of Mr. Longhair). Our pastor wears nice slacks and a Hawaiian shirt — always. More than appropriate.
By that time I was as far from worshipping God as one could get, but the Holy Spirit stepped in and reminded me that a critical spirit is toxic. It destroys and kills.
I was also reminded that nowhere in the bible does it mention the sin of a dark sanctuary or long hair or casual clothing. But it does mention both pride (the root of critical spirits) and the hypocritical focus on such trivial matters.
According to Proverbs 6:16-17 there are six things the Lord hates and number one is Pride. I didn’t have to read far.
And then his warning to the Pharisees “Woe to you . . . You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Matthew 23:25. Hair and jeans were no match for a haughty spirit.
I love C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, his short book about the demon Screwtape instructing his nephew Wormwood how to keep his charge from having an effective witness now that he had been lost to the Enemy [God]. In letter 16 he tells him to make the man “a critic where the Enemy [God] wants him to be a pupil.”
Well, I went to school last Sunday, and God retaught me a valuable lesson. Hopefully, I learned it this time.
Like a recurring dream that just seems to plague the sleeper’s mind, I have a critical spirit that keeps cropping up.
It started as soon as we walked through the door. The sanctuary was dark—too dark. I could barely find my way to my seat, but the stage was ablaze, highlighting the worship team, which made it easy to pick out the worship leader — whose hair was too long. Then the preacher’s attire was much too casual—jeans and a fleece jacket.
I went immediately into comparison mode. Our sanctuary has a bank of windows letting in beautiful light. Our worship leader doesn’t “seek” the limelight (my assessment of Mr. Longhair). Our pastor wears nice slacks and a Hawaiian shirt — always. More than appropriate.
By that time I was as far from worshipping God as one could get, but the Holy Spirit stepped in and reminded me that a critical spirit is toxic. It destroys and kills.
I was also reminded that nowhere in the bible does it mention the sin of a dark sanctuary or long hair or casual clothing. But it does mention both pride (the root of critical spirits) and the hypocritical focus on such trivial matters.
According to Proverbs 6:16-17 there are six things the Lord hates and number one is Pride. I didn’t have to read far.
And then his warning to the Pharisees “Woe to you . . . You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Matthew 23:25. Hair and jeans were no match for a haughty spirit.
I love C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, his short book about the demon Screwtape instructing his nephew Wormwood how to keep his charge from having an effective witness now that he had been lost to the Enemy [God]. In letter 16 he tells him to make the man “a critic where the Enemy [God] wants him to be a pupil.”
Well, I went to school last Sunday, and God retaught me a valuable lesson. Hopefully, I learned it this time.
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