How May Detraction Be Best Prevented or Cured?

[VirginiaHuguenot]

How May Detraction Be Best Prevented or Cured? by Matthew Poole

 

[Herald]

DIRECT. V. Converse much with yourselves.--It is want of business at home in men's own hearts, that makes them ramble so much abroad, and rake into the lives of others. Study yourselves more, and other men less. Did you search your own hearts and lives, you would find as much cause of self-judging and self-abhorring, that you would have little cause to despise others, and much cause of compassion toward others.

This is the part of Poole's work that impacted me the most. It provoked a few questions:

1. Why do we criticize others? (what is our motivation?)

2. Before we "share" the sin of another for the purpose of "prayer" or out of "concern", do we harbor any "secret" sins of our own? Have we dealt with our sin through confession and genuine repentance?

3. How do we react when someone criticizes another? May we be be guilty of gossip just for listening?

[Edited on 3-15-2006 by BaptistInCrisis]

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

This is one of the Cripplegate sermons.

 

[Don Kistler]

By the end of this year, or early next year, Soli Deo Gloria will publish Nathaniel Vincen'ts fine work "The Cure of Distractions in Worshipping God," a series of sermons on 1 Corinthians 7:35.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Originally posted by Don Kistler
By the end of this year, or early next year, Soli Deo Gloria will publish Nathaniel Vincen'ts fine work "The Cure of Distractions in Worshipping God," a series of sermons on 1 Corinthians 7:35.

Excellent! I wonder how it compares with Richard Steele's Remedy for Wandering Thoughts in Worship?

Just to clarify, the OP was about detraction rather than distraction, albeit both are important topics.

 

[MW]

I find detractions to be very unattractive and most distracting. But I do acknowledge rebuke and warning have a place in Christian charity.