Some people are too critical for their own good. There is a Greek myth concerning the god Momus, a critic who lived on Mount Olympus with the other gods. No matter how praise was lavished upon anything or anyone, Momus found something to criticize. We are told that Jupiter, Minerva and Neptune once had a competition to see who could create the most wonderful thing. Jupiter made a man. Neptune made a bull. And Minerva made a house. When the other gods on Olympus were asked for their evaluations, Momus found fault with all three. The man was inferior because there was no window into his heart so you could see what he was thinking; the bull was flawed because the horns were not below his eyes so he could see when he butted with them; and the house was problematic because it was not on wheels so you could move it if you disliked your neighbors. The gods were so upset that they banished Momus from Mount Olympus.

Jesus warns His followers of the common misuse of our God-given critical faculties. The ability to recognize shortcomings and know how to deal with them can be of great benefit. But far too often our fault-finding missions are inappropriately directed towards others. We have a tendency to usurp God's role as judge and mercilessly rush to making verdicts without giving others a fair trial (Matthew 7:1-2). We are often irritated by the precise faults of others that we are unconsciously accommodating within ourselves (Matthew 7:3-5). (We are blind ophthalmologists!) Instead of offering destructive criticism, or deluded criticism, we are to use our critical faculties for developing a healthy self-awareness and discernment for healing relationships and advancing God's kingdom.

Discernment is necessary for our personal growth, our safety and effective ministry (Matthew 7:6). We are to discern our own need to give an honest account before the Judge of all. We are to discriminate between people's characters and spiritual capacities in order to minister to them appropriately. But as we have a need for an increase of discernment, so we also have need for an increase of love. Notice the Apostle Paul's prayer:

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11 NASB).

Spirit filled Christians are to discern the most excellent way of love. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15); deal with those who have wronged us in love; and act towards our enemies in love. The whole purpose of our redemption, Jesus taught, is to restore us to function, that we might image in community the truth about an All-Wise, All-righteous, instantly forgiving and unconditionally loving Father.

As we examine the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-6, we need to ask ourselves: Do we find that it is easier to recognize people's vices than virtues? Are we willing to admit that we often make judgments without sufficient knowledge of the facts? And even if we had all the facts, do we recognize that there is no guarantee that we would interpret them correctly? Do we project our shortcomings onto others? Are we willing to remove BOTH the plank out of our own eye as well as the speck out of our brother's or sister's? Do we seek to understand more than we seek to be understood? Honest self criticism is good and can save us from developing a critical (or hypocritical!) spirit, judgmental attitude, and from coming under God's judgment (1Corinthians 11:31). May God spare us from falling into these pitfalls.