Nurture JOY in Others

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Even if you haven’t, I’ll still love you! But I’ll keep encouraging you to drink in the JOY of Jesus, because it’s soooo good! J

            Kay Warren writes that “some of us feel duty-bound to point out to other people their imperfections.  Then we expect them to be grateful for it, as if they’ll say, ‘Oh, thank you! I was waiting for you to tell me about that flaw today!’ Even worse, we point out someone’s imperfections to other people, falling into the trap of gossip and judgment.”

            She goes on to say that “when we criticize someone, it has a lot more to do with our need to be critical than with their imperfections or differences.  And when we are critical of another person, we are missing the beauty in them and in our relationship with them.  We destroy the delicate seedling of joy that is trying to take root of in their heart.”

            The Message version of the Bible says it well.  In Romans 2:1 we read, “Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself.  It takes one to know one.  Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes & misdemeanors.”

            Wow! That’s kind of eye-opening and sobering, isn’t it?  The next time we’re tempted to criticize someone, let’s pause and reflect on that verse in Romans.  And be assured that when we’re critical….we are NOT nurturing joy…in ourselves or others.

          Let’s find the good in those we come into contact with today by looking at them through the eyes of Jesus!