Is criticism good or bad? Both. Life is full of criticisms. Yes, because we can't please everyone.
There's a story of a couple, who were past 60 years of age. They were on the road after eating at a restaurant when the wife asked his husband to drive back to the restaurant to get the pair of eyeglasses she has left behind. The husband complained to the wife about her being forgetful, grudgingly obliged to drive back, and told his wife not to forget to get his jacket, too.
Why don't we like criticisms? Supposedly, we have reputations to protect. What we do is to look at the negative traits of persons we don't like. If Kobe Bryant shoots, his team members at Lakers are happy. On the other hand, Celtics players are irritable, although Kobe is not doing them any harm.
Wherever we go, we get criticized. Whoever of you here has not been criticized? If you are promoted in the office, you will be criticized. The Bible is full of stories of criticisms. Noah was jeered at while he was building the ark. He was in a mountain - he was losing his mind. Moses was also taunted. At one point in the desert, the Israelites got mad at him. They would have preferred to stay in Egypt where they always had something to eat. Job's friends also pinned him down when he was at his lowest: he was being punished for his sins. And so did his wife.
The biblical figures we admire all went through criticisms, so if we go through it ourselves, don't be surprised. But St. Paul said, don't be quick with judgment, know the person first and what's happening to him.
Are criticisms hurtful? Yes, it pierces like a sword. If you can't handle it, the effect is negative.
The facts: some people take criticisms seriously, so they easily give up. Some people don't take criticisms seriously enough. A person always want to be reaffirmed.
Jesus was full of criticisms - the Pharisees, the Scribes hated him. The important thing is we have to be morally clean.
Criticisms can be constructive. Prov. 19:20
says, "Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may eventually become wise." There is room for improvement. If something negative is said of you, it could be true. If you ignore, you're unteachable, you won't grow or mature. Churchill said the only way to avoid criticisms is to say nothing and do nothing.Some of criticisms need to be answered; some don't. Jesus uses parables, but he sometimes doesn't say anything at all. Nehemiah was Jewish governor whose life was also full of criticisms He wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem but people were afraid of change.
We know the status quo, "nakagawian na," so we always try to keep it. But what if the plan of God is to expand the Church or the community? Critics of Nehemiah looked for companions and persecuted him. Did he avenge? No, he knelt and prayed.
What we do is the opposite, we avenge. We should cry out to the Lord. When David fought Goliath, he said the battle is "the Lord's." Before He was crucified, Jesus cried out to God. Our first recourse should be God.
Nehemiah didn't lose heart. He proceeded to build walls. If you're on the right path, go on. Criticisms may help. Pray to God.
Prayer responses to criticisms
1) Keep our peace when criticized. (Prov. 15:1
)2) We must continue doing what is right when criticized. (1 Thes. 5:11
)How to react when the criticism is wrong? Focus on the truth. Allow God to come to our defense. Don't take it personally and find fault in the person.
3) We must continue to show kindness to our critics. (1 Pt. 3:8)
For the critics, some are worth saying, some are not. Avoid gossips, slandering. Criticize correctly. Receive praise properly with thanks and grace (Prov. 27:1-2
).Between praise and flattery, the latter is insincere. If we're praised, return to God. If you're praised, thank people and God and focus on the good. If criticized, do the same. The rewards for handling criticism and praise include peace, friendship and healing. St. Lorenzo Ruiz said, "If I had a thousand life, I will offer it to him."
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