Fasting from Criticism

I’ve never really been very good about “fasting” for Lent.  In the past I’ve vowed to give something up – but I learned about midway through the season that I’m a Romans 7 type of faster.  (“For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I don’t want to do.  I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.”) Besides, not being much of a chocoholic or coffee-holic has taught me that giving up chocolate or caffeine for Lent means very much to me spiritually.

But at the Ash Wednesday service earlier this week, one of our worship leaders was talking about fasting.  In the midst of that service a voice – or a Voice—said to me:  “Fast from criticism.”

Hmmm.  Fast from criticism.  That’s tougher.  I don’t think of myself as a particularly critical person, but of course I may be simply deluding myself.  Plus there are always more critical comments going on in our heads than ever come out of our mouths, so this would be inner work more than just behavioral fasting.

How would I fast from criticism?  What do I do with my opinions if they differ from someone else’s?  Can I still coach and teach and supervise without breaking that fast?  If I read something a politician has said, can I think to myself, “Boy, that’s really stupid”? Or is that not allowed?

Lent gets harder.

In pondering this, and in sharing with Bev and with my covenant discipleship group, I’m sketching out a few guidelines for my Lenten fast:

a.       Assume positive intent.  Situations that aggravate me aren’t done … well, to aggravate me.  Listen for the good faith idea underneath.

b.      Ask questions before judging. I can be less quick to pronounce my mental verdict and more open to making sure I understand. 

c.       No name-calling.  I don’t know yet if I can say in my mind “That’s really stupid,” but I know God wants me to refrain from saying “You’re really stupid.”  Even to the television set.

d.      Open myself to feedback.  And brush up on my prayers of confession.

Jesus said, “Judge not, and you will not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.”

I count on Jesus being far more merciful than I am – but I wish He’d whispered to me something about chocolate instead.

Pastor Larry