Complaints And Criticism Are Destructive

-February 6, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in heart” (2 Samuel 6:16).

“Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, ‘How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself” (2 Samuel 6:20).

Michal the daughter of Saul and was David’s first wife. Originally Saul gave Michal to David as a wife, hoping to stumble him. That in itself was a tell-tale sign about her. She loved David but was not a godly woman. Here in 2 Samuel 6, David brought the Ark of the Covenant to the City. He greatly rejoiced and danced before the Lord with all his might. He leaped and whirled about, giving all the glory to Lord. He shared this wonderful moment with the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, giving each person a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Michal should not have stayed in the house but should have gone out to celebrate the coming of the Ark. Her criticism of David was unwarranted. While constructive criticism is needed, this was destructive criticism as evidenced not only by David’s desire to play his music and dance before the Lord. More than that we see how the Lord felt about what she thought, said, and did. 2 Samuel 6:23 says, “Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” She paid a high price of her complaints and criticism. She falsely accused her husband of indecent exposure, when as it turned out, she was the one exposed spiritually.

This incident reminds me of when Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman and taking too much control over the people. God struck Miriam with temporary leprosy for seven days. All the Israelites had to wait for her before moving on in the wilderness. Criticizing others, especially our spiritual leaders is bad and affects the church. Often discontent leads to complaints, and complaints lead to criticism, a criticism is not pleasing to the Lord. Sometimes it can cause divisions and strife in the home and in the church. It weakens our relationships and mars our testimony before the world.

The opposite of criticism is encouragement. We can help people much more through encouragement than through criticism. Our words can either build up or tear down. My teachers always warned us against “majoring on the minors.” There are some very minor issues that can turn us against one another.

Have a blessed and thankful day being an encourager and helper. Let’s avoid complaints and criticisms. Stay safe and healthy.

Being positive and not negative, building up and not tearing down one another,

Dean