Were you ever picked on when you were growing up? I was. It can be really hard to put into perspective, especially if you don’t know why they are doing it. Believe it or not, one of the things that brought criticism to me was a series of good grades.
How silly was that? Come on. Did they really expect me to make a bad grade to suit them?
Some folks never put criticism into proper perspective. My Dad used to say, “Consider the source.” His point was that some folks are just that way. Don’t give heed to that nonsense. Don’t let it aggravate you.
As Christians, we need to put criticism in its proper perspective. If you don’t, the person criticizing has control over you. Criticism says a lot about the person doing the criticizing.
What does it say?
Some criticism – constructive criticism – is meant to be helpful. When it is done, it should be done in love. The person doing this is taking a risk. They are counting on your seeing how much they love you. They want the best for you. They want you to grow.
The criticism we are talking about – the other kind – is not only hurtful, it is sometimes done to stop you from doing what you were doing.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah 4:1-6
Notice that all the Jews had done was quickly rebuild their wall. There was nothing wrong with that. Their adversaries just did not want them to build it.
Our natural inclination when criticized is to get hurt feelings and defend ourselves. We may even begin to believe we need to change. Next time you are criticized for doing the right thing, ask yourself why you care about the criticism. When you want to do the right thing, you are not the problem.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:12-15
Today’s challenge is to not accept criticism as being valid when you are doing the right thing. Instead, realize that when you live godly in Jesus, you will suffer persecution. Pray for strength.