We all have our faults and flaws. The problem is we do not always like to be told about them. Sometimes when we receive constructive criticism, our feelings get hurt and we respond negatively. We might speak rudely to the one revealing our fault, denying that we are guilty of it, or even challenging the character of the other person.
How do you respond to criticism? The Bible tells us how we should, especially when the one doing the criticizing is righteous or wise.
Ecclesiastes 7:5 (ESV)
5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
The “song of fools” is a reference to praise and flattery that comes from an unwise person who is not really concerned about our best interests. It is better to receive rebuke from a wise person than it is to hear flattery from a fool. The problem is some people love flattery so much that they accept it regardless of its source. To add to the problem, they are so averse to being criticized that they reject the rebuke from a well-intentioned wise friend even though it is in their best interests to hear the rebuke and change their course of action. A wise person has the humility to accept a rebuke, no matter how much it hurts, and consider it closely.
Nobody likes to be rebuked. Our natural sense of self-preservation and pride kicks in and we immediately feel the need to defend ourselves. But we should always consider the source. If the source is a loving friend who has a history of acting in our best interest, it would be self-defeating to ignore constructive criticism. Solomon put it like this:
Proverbs 15:32 (ESV)
32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
Jesus told Saul on his journey to Damascus, “…it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (Acts 26:14). We all are prone to injure ourselves sometimes by our behavior. We should think about this when we are being criticized. It is easy to just ignore it, but we might be despising ourselves by doing so. Let us try to have a good attitude when a loved one from our physical or spiritual family, or even one to whom we are not that close, rebukes us, remembering that if we listen with an open mind, it might give us a bit of knowledge that can help us in the long run.
If it is wise to listen to man when he rebukes us, it is even wiser to listen to God. God, of course, speaks to us today through the Bible. The preacher’s job is to proclaim God’s word to His people and sometimes it means rebuking brethren.
2 Timothy 4:1–2 (ESV)
1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Whether it is a preacher who is reproving or rebuking you by his preaching, or it is something you read for yourself from the Bible, it is a demonstration of wisdom to consider the words carefully and apply them to your life. As Christians, we want to view ourselves as being mature, grounded, and rooted in the faith, so it hurts to hear the word of God condemning us in any way. Let us not ever allow our hurt feelings to stop us from accepting the truth of God’s word and making changes in our lives where it is needed.
Hebrews 12:25 (ESV)
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
Yes, the truth sometimes hurts, but accepting or rejecting it might be the difference in determining whether we spend eternity in heaven or hell.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.