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In the matter of correcting and giving constructive criticism, there are two extremes to be avoided.
The first extreme is simply fault-finding. We look at the faults for the sake of the pleasure of criticizing another. This is one extreme that the Lord wants to correct. The other extreme is that we become super, super aware of our own faults. Becoming aware of our own faults, we just keep quiet and not correct and not criticize others because we say, “why, I am also at fault.”
I say it is an extreme because as we see in the Gospel, while we must not miss the point about the Lord’s warning not to see only the splinter in our brother’s eye but also the plank in our own eye, we must also heed God’s invitation to us to remove these irritants. That is, remove the plank in our own eye and then remove the splinter in our brother’s eye. The extreme position is not to correct at all because we feel we ourselves are at fault. The other position is to correct everybody because I am holy.
The middle ground is that we all mourn our limitations and shortcomings. I mourn over my weaknesses as I mourn over my brother’s weaknesses. As we mourn together, let us move together, fighting these weaknesses by the power of our strength. We all are at fault.
But let us not miss the point. The Lord says to us very clearly to remove these obstacles to seeing clearly and living well. Do not just play blind to the faults of others. Do not play blind to your own. Let us together recognize our own weak situation and mourning over our own weak situation, together, remove the obstacles to fully loving and fully living.
CRITICIZING
Lk. 6:39-42
Love Like Jesus
