Criticism and Its Effects
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or wound a follower of Christ. He is “the accuser of our brethren.”
Shall Christians aid him in his work?
God’s all-seeing eye notes the defects of all and the ruling passion
of each, yet He bears with our mistakes and pities our weakness. He
bids His people cherish the same spirit of tenderness and forbearance.
True Christians will not exult in exposing the faults and deficiencies
of others. They will turn away from vileness and deformity, to fix
the mind upon that which is attractive and lovely. To the Christian
every act of faultfinding, every word of censure or condemnation, is
painful
The Effects of Criticism of Church and Institutional Leaders
The spirit of gossip and talebearing is one of Satan’s special agen-
cies to sow discord and strife, to separate friends, and to undermine
the faith of many in the truthfulness of our positions. Brethren and
sisters are too ready to talk of the faults and errors that they think exist
in others, and especially in those who have borne unflinchingly the
messages of reproof and warning given them of God.
The children of these complainers listen with open ears and receive
the poison of disaffection. Parents are thus blindly closing the avenues
through which the hearts of the children might be reached. How many
families season their daily meals with doubt and questionings. They
dissect the characters of their friends, and serve them up as a dainty
dessert. A precious bit of slander is passed around the board to be
commented upon, not only by adults, but by children. In this God
is dishonored. Jesus said: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”
Matthew
25:40
. Therefore Christ is slighted and abused by those who slander
His servants.
The names of God’s chosen servants have been handled with dis-
respect, and in some cases with absolute contempt, by certain persons
whose duty it is to uphold them. The children have not failed to hear
the disrespectful remarks of their parents in reference to the solemn
reproofs and warnings of God’s servants. They have understood the
scornful jests and depreciatory speeches that from time to time have
met their ears, and the tendency has been to bring sacred and eternal
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Testimonies for the Church 5:94-96