being jake wood

Weither big jobs or small jobs, we’ve all been victim to good and bad criticism. How we respond can show how foolish or how wise we really are. If it’s a best friend, boss or a stranger on the street, here are 3 things I’ve tried to remember in the midst of criticism.

1. Listen. We can’t always throw criticism to the wayside. Even God can speak to us through encouraging words and discouraging words. If we automatically shut people off at the smallest critique, we’d never grow and learn. Sometimes, even in the most absurd critiques we can find a nugget of helpful use. The wise will sift through the criticism and find something of use.

2. Don’t Always Take Things Personal. It’s easy to tie our job, ministry or talent to our identity. When we do this, then we open ourselves up for deep hurts. If your job is “who you are”, then when someone criticizes your job, you feel they are criticizing “who you are”. We can’t always take criticism so personal. If we feel that “hurt” when someone is criticizing something of ours, then it might be a good sign that we are tied too close to that “thing” and in danger of it being an idol.

3. Your Response will determine your level of maturity. If I fly off the handle at the smallest criticism, then no one will ever want to speak honestly to me if there’s a danger of me being offended. Even if the criticism is way off base, your reaction to it will determine how far you can and will grow. A wise person will always be slow to react and slow to speak.

Criticism can be a good thing when used by the wise and can be fuel for the fool. If nothing bad is ever said, nothing good will ever get done.

JW