A few thoughts on critical people …

I know a woman who is extremely critical. EXTREMELY SO.

But she doesn’t see it.

If you were to ask her about her speech (as say, some hypothetical JD/MBA would have GENTLY done in the past), she would say that she is never (or at least RARELY) critical or negative.

But if she were to listen to a recording of her typical conversations
or read a transcript
this is what she would find …

– A plethora of information on other people that makes them look bad or points out their struggles, sins, or failures;
– Many stories of how a certain person is unwise, foolish, or sinful; and
– Inappropriate details about the lives, sins, failures, mistakes, and weaknesses of other people.

It’s uncomfortable for me and I have a hard time knowing how to proceed in relationship with her. (Especially since I’ve TRIED–more than once–to help her to see this, but to date, she has not seen it.)

So what should I do?

What do we do with this difficult relationships?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh — as always, we start with the gospel … we remember our desperate neediness for God! And His gracious, merciful, covenantal forgiveness and love. This helps us to remember that we are MORE LIKE HER THAN UNLIKE HER.

And then we continue to persevere in LOVE. What is the most loving thing for this person? How can we be gracious, encouraging, kind, merciful and loving? (Just as God is toward us!)

We pray for the grace to remember that we are NOT the Holy Spirit and we CANNOT make ANYONE change.

And then we rest.
Rest in our forgiveness.
Adoption.
And the HOPE we have in the continuing SANCTIFYING work that GOD is doing in us.

(Even as we long for Heaven!)

Maranatha! Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Amen & Amen!