Critical, Discouraging Words
I always thought my older brother, Jim, was smarter than my sister and I. He was four years older, and he had learned many more things than we had. He had neat ideas about games to play, too.
Often, we would play puppets, and perform parts of scripts that Jim would write. (I told you he was smart!) Jim was really excited about this mode of play. It was mentally-stimulating for him, and it was fun for all of us to play together.
One time, Jim had come up with a new idea for a script. He had read about the construction of the Panama Canal in his history class, and he wanted to make a script about how Walter Reed successfully fought the yellow fever disease that the workers had contracted down there. It was a great script idea, as I look back on it over the years, but at the time, I was an immature-thinking little boy, and I said, “No, I don’t want to.”
With those simple, silly words, I discouraged him. I don’t remember ever playing puppets again. Oh, the power of discouraging words! New ideas die far too young because of them! They kept Israel out of the Promised Land. They will keep a Christian from completing their journey with Jesus.
Discouragement has to be Satan’s greatest, most effective tool! He will employ any means to wield it at a Christian. When he can discourage a Christian to the point of stopping a good deed or quitting his faith, Satan wins another soul!
Have you ever been criticized after doing a good deed? Ever wonder why that happens? What is its source? God’s Holy Spirit revealed it to John, in describing our mortal spiritual enemy, Satan, as “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night…” (Rev. 12:10) You didn’t think that Satan wanted you to be encouraged for doing something good, did you?
If a Christian criticizes or discourages a fellow Christian for doing some good work, to whom is the critic listening? … and the Christian critic apparently has no idea that he/ she is listening to Satan!
Corrupt words can be words of criticism. Such words do not build another up, nor will it impart grace to the hearer of them. Such words strike at unity, and they grieve God’s Holy Spirit. (Eph. 4:29 – 30)
Christian, think twice before you criticize!
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