Responding to Criticism

As Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission grows in stature and status, I find myself under the gun with people who over-scrutinize both my personal and professional decisions. People seem less understanding and forgiving, the bigger we are. They are also very sensitive and I need to practise a certain guardedness even with those whom I have considered my friends. They read into my actions and words (and likely this blog post) much more than I intend to say.

Paula noticed I was taking a lot of heat and photocopied a reading from The Daily Bread. I've kept it on my desk all this time, so thought it about time I share it with you. I found it very inspirational and encouraging.

Abraham Lincoln knew what it meant to face criticism. He is quoted as saying, “If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how—the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what’s said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”
Lincoln, against huge opposition, went on to reunite the fractured United States, win the Civil War, and abolish slavery in the US. Had he allowed his critics to defeat him, Lincoln would not have accomplished what he did.

The apostle Peter understood the dangers of unfounded criticism. He wrote, “Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).

Criticism can consume our lives to the point of emotional paralysis, or we can set our hearts to serve God faithfully undeterred by that criticism and put our God on display. When we do that, we won’t need to answer our critics with words—our lives will say all that is needed. — Bill Crowder