A critical spirit damages our lives.
Numbers 12:1-3
Numbers 12:4-11
Question
How can we help one other avoid a critical spirit?
When have you been thankful for someone’s criticism?
1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. 3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
4 At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words: ‘When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’ ” 9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them. 10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous —it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.”
LIVE IT OUT
Question
Evaluate your habits. On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being “always” and 10 being “never”), how would you rate yourself as being critical?
Change your patterns. For one full week, avoid saying anything critical to anyone. After the week is over, take note of any differences you noticed in yourself and your relationships.
People often isolate themselves through a critical spirit. What steps can we take to restore them to the community?
What are some of the main motivations behind our desire to criticize?
Numbers 12:13-15
Own your critical-spirit moments. Refuse to let them control you. Think about someone with whom you’ve been extremely critical. During the coming week, confess your critical spirit and apologize for your words.
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” 14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
Question
Prayer Requests
What price do we pay for having a critical spirit?