Proverbs 9:8-9 ( KJV): "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9.Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man and he will increase in learning."
NIV:" Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you, rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still, teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning." Can you take it? Take what? Can you take criticism? This is what Proverbs 9:8-9 is about. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I love criticism. There is something about us that really hates it when someone doesn't see that we are doing a good job or maybe even that we are not perfect. But I have learned to take it in a good spirit. Why? Because as I look back over fifty-two years in the ministry, I have to admit that I have learned more through criticism than I have through casual praise. If any of my earlier church members reads this, they will probably say, "Well, he did learn after all." We don't garner wisdom in this life by protecting our fragile egos from criticism that is meant for our good. We have to learn the difference between malicious and loving criticism. Malicious criticism is usually not valuable - but it can be. Don't reject it out of hand. Even a malicious person can hit on the truth occasionally. Loving criticism can seem malicious when we first hear it, but when we think about it - if we will - the critic was trying to tell us something that we needed to hear. Critcism is a time for some good old-fashioned soul-searching. Proverbs 9:9a tells us: "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser." We do not increase in wisdom by making ourselves immune to criticism. Not all criticism is justified, but if we will listen by faith, and hear what Jesus is telling us, we can learn the difference between wise and foolish criticism. No one in this world is above criticism - that includes you. Bro. Jo
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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