Pet Peeve #3

Intro
I was sick on Tuesday this week, "whistling" up the hot dogs I had at The Flying Wienie (but it wasn't their fault! My wife and son had each had a stomach virus just a couple days before me, so I blame them, not the dogs), and as I'm kneeling before the porcelain, I thought "Boy I hate this. Maybe this is Pet Peeve #3".

But it passed, I'm better, and I can't really consider "hurling" a pet peeve. But I did think of another Pet Peeve I'm willing to share: Critical Christians.

Let's Get Critical, Critical...
I'm not talking about "Berean" type criticism (Acts 17) or the type of criticism Paul gave Peter (Galatians 2). Much of my spiritual growth in ministry has occurred through the thoughtful, constructive, biblical criticism of wiser and more mature people. No, the kind of criticism that grates me internally is the high-and-mighty criticism wielded against famous Christians from behind our safe distance and "spiritual maturity".

First, let me say that I am being the world's biggest hypocrite by engaging in criticism of criticizers. That alone made me hesitant to post this. Second, I succumb to this very Pet Peeve myself at times, so I am railing against myself as much as anyone else. But if I can just help one person be a person of truth AND grace through this blog post, then it'll be worth it.

I am thankful for critical thinking. But when our "critical thinking" degrades into a form of bashing on every famous Christian we know, then I think we have turned to jealously instead of godly critical thinking. Yes, we need to weigh carefully what people teach, write, and say in light of the truths of the Bible, and there are false teachers in our day and age, but we must be careful to not slander these people, their character, or their ministry - I have a feeling many of them are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So will you join me in praying that we can be people of truth AND grace? That we can think critically, pursuing truth, but extend the grace God has extended to us?

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14 (NIV)