“Christ also suffered for us…when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him who judges righteously….” (I Peter 2:21-25).
Someone criticized me. Whatever am I to do?
Well, for starters, you might grow up.
Quotes on enduring criticism can be found in the hundreds online. Here are a few we found in a few minutes….
–The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.(Elbert Hubbard) -You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a sign of weakness to get caught up in either one. (John Wooden) –A critic is a legless man who teaches running. (Channing Pollock) –You are a glorious shining sword and criticism is the whetstone. Do not run from the whetstone or you will become dull and useless. Stay sharp. (Duane Alan Hahn)
No one enjoys being criticized, but we often benefit from it immensely.
I say to pastors and other church leaders, you do not want to live and work where there is an absence of criticism.
You think you do. But you don’t. Only in the harshest of dictatorships is there no criticism. But in a free society–like ours–criticism abounds. If the society is indeed free, much of the criticism is fair, just, and well deserved. Likewise, much of it will be unfair, unjust and unmerited. A leader who survives has to develop discernment in order to know what to ignore and what to treasure and learn from.
A friend texted: “Joe, write something about criticism! Some good pastors are resigning because not everyone in the church likes them!”
He and I both find that incredulous. As though someone could do a great work for Jesus Christ in a hostile society without stirring up resentment and incurring the wrath of some people.
Advice columnist Dear Abby used to say, “You throw a rock in among a bunch of dogs. The one that hollers is the one that got hit.”