It's Not About the Specifics

I read Romans 14 today, and it was on a topic that I'm passionate about.  I liked the way the New Living Translation titled this chapter: "The Danger of Criticism." The passage talked about how we must be careful not to criticize one another as Christians, just because we differ on the specifics of what's right and what's wrong.  Each of us is personally accountable to God (not to each other), and our job is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into a life of goodness, peace, and joy.  The passage encourages us to stop looking down on or criticizing other Christians, and instead to promote harmony.
I see this critical, fault-finding attitude appearing a lot among Christians, and it bothers me.  It seems to me like they are causing divisions among the body of Christ rather than promoting unity and harmony.  How much more would we be able to glorify God as a whole and bring people to Christ, if we can stop focusing so much on the small differences on matters that are supposed to be between God and each believer.
Romans 14:17-19 (New Living Translation): For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
I had to put my own attitude in check after reading this passage.  Sometimes, I'm too critical towards people who I think are critical, if that makes sense :)  I let these people bother me too much, when again, I answer to God alone and each of them answers to God alone.  It's not for me to judge.  I also thought about my personal walk with God, and how I tend to keep a checklist of what's right and what's wrong. I become too critical of every detail of my life or of our family's life as a whole, and I sometimes think one little detail in the "wrong side" will put me/us out of God's favor.  But God does not operate like that...keeping a checklist of what we're doing or not doing right. It's more about our attitude and our lifestyle.  Are we living day-to-day like we are citizens of God's kingdom, respecting His authority and His plan for our lives?  Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us to live a life of goodness, peace, and joy? The passage above says that if we live for Christ with this attitude, we can't go wrong: we WILL please God. In addition, not that we should make this a top priority, but others will approve of us. 
Holy Spirit, lead me every day in keeping this attitude and living a life of goodness, peace, and joy. Help me not to worry so much about the specifics, but instead to always keep my attitude in check. Guide my every step; for me, there is no other way to live.