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Getting help from Criticism
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity”
We ought to get profit from Criticism.
Two pairs of eyes should see more than one?
None of us has all the wisdom there is the World. However as wise as any of us may be, there are others who know something better than we know them. Who can make valuable & helpful suggestions to us concerning some points at least at work. The Shoe maker may never have painted the picture, but be could ‘criticise’ the shoes that were painted, when stood in front of the canvas. Which the great artist had covered with his noble creations, and the artist was wise enough to welcome the criticism and quickly amended his picture to make it correct. Exodus 33:11 “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend”
Of cause the shoe maker knows more about shoes, as the Tailor/Dressmaker knows more about making clothes, just as the Furniture maker knows more about making Furniture, than the Artist does. The closest criticism comes from a close friend, or family member, so this type should be received with Love.
No ones knowledge is encyclopedic. Though there are some things some body else will know better than you do, however wide your range of intelligence. An honest form of criticism is one that is done humbly, face to face. If you truly wish to grow, not just as a Tailor/Dressmaker/Furniture maker, but in any business, or just in life, you must accept criticism. I know that sometimes those whom have known the closest will say things in a way that have only one desired out come, and that is to hurt us. Proverbs 24:28/9 “Do not be a witness against your neighbour without cause, For would you deceive with your lips? 29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.” It is true that other can see our faults & imperfections in us which we ourselves cannot see. We are to closely identified with our own lives to be objective critic's. We can never make the most and the best of our life, if we refuse to be taught by others.
A ‘self made man’ is poorly made, as he is the product of one man’s thought. The strong things in his own individuality are likely to be emphasised to such a degree that they become idiosyncrasy’s, while no other sides of his characteristics are left defective.
The ‘best made man’ is the one who in his formative years has the benefit of ‘wholesome criticism. His life has been developed on all sides, faults have been corrected. His nature has been restrained at points where the tendency is over growth, while points of weakness are strengthened. We all need, not only as part of our education, but in all out life, the corrective influence of the options and suggestions of others.
In order to get from others criticism, we must relate ourselves in a sympathetic way. We must be ready to believe and give hospitable thought to the things other may say of us and of what we are doing. Some are only hurt, then become defensive, hence never have been helped, by the criticism. They tend to regard it always as unkindly, and so meet it with bitter feelings. They will resent it from where ever it comes, and what ever form, as something impertinent. It’s regarded as unfriendly, as a personal assault against which they feel they must defend themselves, putting their hackles up, becoming closed off.
We’ve all known ones who can’t handle any form of criticism. As long as others will compliment them on all things they do they give respect & attention and are pleased. However the moment a criticism, however slight, or even the question, whether something else would not be an improvement, is asked they are offended. This some up the World we live in today, especially with this woke generation. They regard as an enemy, anyone who even intimates to being otherwise. Surly when all is said and done that it proves they should have listened, you wonder they must feel thus ... Proverbs5:12/13 “How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction! 13 I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me” … It prove hard to be friends of any kind, with such people, for no-one cares to see their help dismissed without thought. Not many people will take the trouble to keep a lock on their lips all the while for fear of offending a self-conceited friend. They are no longer teachable, and therefore, are no longer a leaner. They would rather keep their faults than be humbled by being told in order to be corrected, such a spirit is unwise ... Proverbs 4:1&2 “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding; 2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law” … the saddest thing here they would rather keep all their faults, and so pay no heed to criticism. Such importance is that we should always be ready to receive instruction, no matter the source.
Proverbs 4:5 “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth”
In other words, we must continually be made aware of our imperfections. There is NO doubt it will hurt, when we’re connected, told of all our faults. Better this, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us feel. Really, we ought to thank the critic's for showing us where we’re going wrong despite how confident we think that we ‘re doing it the right way. We can never make the most and the best of our life, if we refuse to be taught by others.
Of cause there are those we know, who would point out our faults ‘bluntly’ and relish to this ‘harshly’, to the point of being rude. Yet others will try and find a way to make us aware of our faults without causing us any feeling of humiliation. For sure it would be better if they all came this way. There is needed for, great wisdom & tact to point out someone’s faults ... Proverbs 4:13 “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life” … we should all seek to possess the Spirit of Christ, who was patient and gentle when instruction & criticism was needed. Too many take delight in discovering faults in other people, and then in pointing them out in front others for maximum affect & humiliation. Some will do it when they are in anger, blurting out their keen criticism’s in fits of bad temper. Harm is done often by the want of this spirit in those feel it is their duty to teach others a lesson. St Paul urges his heavenly Father, not to provoke their children to wrath, lest they be discouraged. Yet there are parents who almost never corrects their children, as they feel they should ‘never’ be corrected. There are others, at the other end of spectrum, who continually tell them almost with every breath, telling them of their faults as if everything they say or do is wrong. They feel by doing this continually nagging them and scolding them in this way will make them tough, and able to cope with the harshness of this World. Sadly partners (for the most part men), will make them feel smaller than an ant, instead of finding someone else. Alas NO, they stay because it makes ‘them’ feel big? We should never ‘Criticise’ or ‘Correct’, unless done with humble love … Proverbs 4:16 “For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall” … if we find ourselves in anger, or cherishing bitter, unkind or resentful feeling, as we are about to point out an error or mistake in another person or in another’s work, we better be silent and not speak, that is until we can speak in love. Only when our heart is full of love, are we fit to correct another or to speak of their faults. Romans 2:1 “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” We can never make the most and the best of our life, if we refuse to be taught by others.
While this is the Christian way for all who would make criticism of others, it is true also that, however we learn of our faults, it would be better to accept the correction in a humble, loving way, and profit by it. Phew of us hear the honest truth about ourselves until someone grows angry with us and blurts it out in bitter words. It may end up being an enemy who says the ugly thing about us, or may be someone who is biased and unworthy of respect, but whoever it may be, we would ask whether if there may some truth in the criticism, and if there may be, then set ourselves to get clear of it. In what ever way we are made aware of a fault, we ought to be grateful for the fact, for the discovery gives us an opportunity to rise to be better, nobler life or to a bigger and finer achievement. This is the lesson:- We should not resent Criticism, whether it be made in a kindly manner that we should be willing and eager to learn from anyone, since even the humblest and most ignorant man knows something better than we do, and is able to be our teacher at some point, that truth should be welcomed, more so if the truth which affects our own life & work, it may wound our pride, and humble us, however it manner of coming to us ... We can never make the most and the best of our life, if we refuse to be taught by others.
… the moment we learn of anything that is not beautiful in us, we should seek it’s correction. Thus only can we ever reach the best things in our Character, or do the best thing in achievement.James 1:26 “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” Psalms 34:12/14 “Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it” So to finish, there’s an old saying here that goes like this … “If you don’t have anything, helpful, constructive,
don’t say anything at all”
