Kind criticism
June 5, 2003 | 12:00am
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Galatians 6:1
Dave and his wife Sue were asked about the delicate art of constructive criticism. Sue said, "I think Christs example in John 1:14 is helpful. That verse describes Jesus as being full of grace and truth. I see a mother with her child. If the child has a dirty face, the mother doesnt scold her for having a dirty face. She does the loving thing. She gets out the washcloth, and as she is gently applying soap and water she may say, My, what a dirty face you have! Tell me how you got your face so dirty. But all the time she is washing her childs face. If Im going to be honest with Dave, I need to be sure that Im acting in loving, gracious ways in a sense, getting out the washcloth even while Im talking about the dirt."
In Galatians 6:1, Paul also reflected a gentle and gracious attitude, showing us how we are to treat all people. When confronting others about their sin, lets remember how gentle Christ is in showing us our own sins. Although we grieve Him when we fall, He is never bitter. He holds us accountable, yet supports us with His love. His convicting is kind and persistent, yet He is always quick to forgive.
When its necessary to criticize, lets treat others the way Jesus treats us. Dennis J. De Haan
Father, help me live today
With thoughtfulness in what I say,
Confronting wrong with truth and fact
Expressing gentleness and tact. Hess
READ: Galatians 6:1-5
Kind criticism is always the right kind.
The Bible in one year:
2 Chronicles 23-24
John 15
Dave and his wife Sue were asked about the delicate art of constructive criticism. Sue said, "I think Christs example in John 1:14 is helpful. That verse describes Jesus as being full of grace and truth. I see a mother with her child. If the child has a dirty face, the mother doesnt scold her for having a dirty face. She does the loving thing. She gets out the washcloth, and as she is gently applying soap and water she may say, My, what a dirty face you have! Tell me how you got your face so dirty. But all the time she is washing her childs face. If Im going to be honest with Dave, I need to be sure that Im acting in loving, gracious ways in a sense, getting out the washcloth even while Im talking about the dirt."
In Galatians 6:1, Paul also reflected a gentle and gracious attitude, showing us how we are to treat all people. When confronting others about their sin, lets remember how gentle Christ is in showing us our own sins. Although we grieve Him when we fall, He is never bitter. He holds us accountable, yet supports us with His love. His convicting is kind and persistent, yet He is always quick to forgive.
When its necessary to criticize, lets treat others the way Jesus treats us. Dennis J. De Haan
Father, help me live today
With thoughtfulness in what I say,
Confronting wrong with truth and fact
Expressing gentleness and tact. Hess
READ: Galatians 6:1-5
Kind criticism is always the right kind.
The Bible in one year:
2 Chronicles 23-24
John 15
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