A few weeks ago Breanne bought Bryson this cute little t-shirt with a big picture of nachos on it. Underneath it said ‘Nacho Business.’ Bryon is a clown and loves to make people laugh, therefore she felt it fit his personality – as did I. Little did I know that God would use that little phrase over and over again to correct me or bring light to situations I found myself in.
I was spending some time with a friend one day this week. In conversation she brought up a woman we both know and repeated something about her personal life. I was quiet for several seconds, then God reminded me of the shirt. I said ‘Bryson has this little shirt that has nachos on it and it says ‘nacho business.’ She said ‘ouch’ and then ‘okay, I got the message.’ While it was a funny way to send a message, it is a message we should probably all wear daily.
1 Thessalonians 4:10-11 says; “But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.”
What someone else has done in their past or even their present is none of our business. And judging them for their mistakes is nothing more than a critical spirit.
A critical spirit is an attitude of criticism and fault-finding. It seeks to tear others down. Have you ever heard someone call it ‘constructive criticism’ when it really wasn’t? The only criticism that is ever constructive is that which is expressed in love to “build up,” not to tear down — it is always expressed face-to-face, never behind their back.
The person with a critical spirit usually dwells on the negative and seeks for flaws rather than good. They complain and are often upset about something or someone. They fail to control their tongue or their temper. And they are the ones you will find gossiping and slandering others. Paul said it was a sin worthy of death. Romans 29:1-32 says; “being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Many tend to think that one sin is greater than another but to God sin is sin. Judging and backbiting and refusing to extend mercy is SIN, not only for the one speaking it but the one who sits and listens and agrees, even if they agree quietly.
I used to be very judgmental and critical but God has changed all that in me and continues to work on me when I mess up. I see scripture after scripture that tells me if I judge others, regardless of what they have done, it will come back on me, not them. I set myself up for judgment and it affects the anointing and presence of God in my life. I don’t want anything hindering the presence of God in my life, therefore I refuse to judge critically.
It is none of your business if the person seated beside you in church has went bankrupt 3 times. It is none of your business if the person working beside you has been divorced 5 times. It is none of your business if your friends children are acting out, or on drugs or living a promiscuous lifestyle. It is NACHO BUSINESS. If you were obeying God’s word you would be praying for them, not judging them. You would be praying for them as if they were your own children, or your own finances or your own marriage.
We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions? The truth is, we can’t rightly judge anyone else, because we don’t see their heart, we can’t see the brokenness inside of them. We don’t know the motivations of their heart. We can only judge ourselves and seek to bring our own lives in alignment with God’s Word (1 Cor. 11:31).
Romans 14:10-13 says; “But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you again, why do you look down on your believing brother or regard him with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God who alone is judge. For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.” (Amplified)
Ephesians 4:29 says; “Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].” (Amplified)
Friends, it is time to grow up and cast this critical spirit out of the church, the Body of Christ,
don’t you agree? It is time to live a quiet life and mind our own business. It is time to BUILD up and refuse to tear down. It is time to refuse to even sit and listen to another brother or sister be torn down. The next time you are in a conversation where you hear gossip or back-biting or someone being torn down, please, remember it’s NACHO BUSINESS. Pray for them, lift them up and show them the mercy of God, the same thing He showed each of us.
