Wisdom Wednesday: Criticism

“If criticism is mistaken or mean-spirited, rise above it.Maintain the high ground when you’re under fire. No victory is worth winning at the expense of picking up the mud that has been slung at you and throwing it back.” — Rubel Shelly

“If we play the blame game, we will b-lame.” –Unknown

“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” — Brian Tracy

So how can we avoid this cancer of the soul? Here are a few suggestions:

Stop grousing over the way it was… Especially if you were right.

Accept the fact that in time your influence will probably diminish, and you will receive increasingly fewer accolades.
Focus on what is right, not on what is wrong.
Stay active in ministering personally to others. Getting “down and dirty“ into people‘s lives will help keep you fresh and on your knees, and too busy to bother with pampering yourself in cynicism.
Affect what you can and should, and then commit the rest to God, keeping in mind that He probably has not yet designated you to be “The Chancellor of the Universe.”
Instead of being a critic of the next generation, be a source of encouragement, and their champion.
Don‘t let unresolved conflicts remain.

*****************************************************************

Jesus’ response to His unjust treatment should serve as our model:

“When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.“ (1 Peter 2:23)