One Response to this post

• David Divoky says:

  September 11, 2010 at 10:41 am

  Great sermon…I think in many ways when it comes to being critical of others, the question that warrants asking is what is right with this church, program, or person, and focusing on what is wrong. The difference is condemning versus discerning judgment.

  People who tend to find fault often act like they have helped everybody out by uncovering a faulty program, a faulty person, a faulty pastor, or a faulty plan. But you know what the truth is? You can always find something wrong with anything—any program, any person, any pastor, any plan. But if “finding out what’s wrong” is the focus of your approach, then you cheat yourself and everyone else out of the opportunity to learn and grow and benefit from what God has brought into your life or into your church.

  Careful judgment is necessary. Verse 6 says: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

  Thank God for people who can see the potential pitfalls in a plan. Discernment is a helpful skill and a positive contribution. Good judgment is a valuable quality. But some people miss the distinction between discernment and condemnation. They elevate fault finding to a ministry—as if they were doing the church a favor, or doing society a favor, or doing their spouse a favor—by making it their goal to find out what’s wrong.

  A great video to watch is by National Geographic: “Celebrate What’s Right with this World”, by Dewitt Jones. Not sure there is a clean relationship to the message, but it did make me think of it.

  Here is link:
  http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=43381348

  Thanks for the message!

  Dave