the critical spirit

We all know people who constantly talk us down. They rarely say anything good or uplifting, they always criticize you and most times they fabricate their dissension. I don't like being talked down so I don't talk down anyone else. One day a little rabbit caller thumper spoke to a fawn and said, "if you can't think of something nice to say, don't say anything at all". Thank God for talking rabbits, thumper went on to host a talk show in the Appalachian mountains.
James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be.
James was talking to Christians that should have known better but evidently they didn't. When we are reborn, God creates a new spirit in our life, He expects us to act like children of God. Two things are going on, either we didn't get the memo or we ignored it all together. I think that some times we forget just how indebted to the Lord we are, we forget that He made us a new creature. The new creature is allotted grace that they might become more Godlike, and this does not happen overnight. Some Christians never grow beyond their new birth, they have no desire to change, they are content with themselves.

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow up in all things into Him, who is the head - Christ.

God has ordained that we should grow a little every day of our lives, but some saints get to a certain point and they are content to remain half grown. The reason we habitually slander people is because of our own insecurities. Some people deal with their insecurities by putting people down, they believe this will elevate them above their fellows. People are not our problem, we are our problem and God is our answer. When you truly study the Word of God you will know who you are in Christ Jesus, and you will not need to push people down in order to lift yourself up. If we would judge ourselves we won't be judged, if we would judge ourselves we would realize we are no better than the people we are so critical of.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. When he speaks a lie he declares himself; for he is a liar and the father of all lies.

The devil has a lot of human agents, you know them, in fact you may be one from time to time. We all have a choice between the truth and lies. The devil puts pressure on us to lie, God gives us grace to hold to the truth. God speaks His truth to us and then stands back and let's us choose our way. The devil never let's up, he constantly urges us to look out for yourself no matter what you have to do. Who do you suppose will suffer the most, the ones being criticized or the ones criticizing? The longer you act like the devil the more of his reward you will reap, your only way out is repentance. Folks who are critical of others all have one thing in common, they have little or no humility. All of us should ask ourselves this question before we speak, "What would Jesus say?" What percent of our conversation is acceptable? A wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool speaks because he has to say something. Judge yourself, what category do you fall in? Folks are drawn to people who have a positive message and others shun those who are always putting people down.