S05E096, Do You Accept Criticism? Andy B 2 Minute Video
Nobody likes being put down. In fact, being put down as a child is so traumatic it can have terrible life-long consequences. As adults we don’t like that level of criticism either because, if you’re constantly criticised in your job, you won’t try harder. You’ll simply give up trying altogether.
The bible makes it clear that we need to be accountable to others, and that does include being willing to listen to criticism. We may not like it, but there is a strong warning when we don’t listen to criticism.
It doesn’t mean we accept abuse or act on everything we hear. It doesn’t mean we allow our time to be taken up listening to criticism. And it also doesn’t mean we pretend to listen to criticism only to disregard it.
As ever we need to act with wisdom, and pursue the peace of God that transcends all understanding.
Why should we listen to people who are critical? Well the bible states that if we always ignore criticism and rebukes that we will find ourselves, with no warning, broken beyond repair.
And that is not a place I ever want to find myself in!
So, act wisely, make yourself accountable and be wiling to hear criticism.
Just a thought...
Andy B
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Transcript
[00:00:00] Another Andy B video here, two minutes. Let me a ask you this question. Do you accept criticism? Do you take it well? Do you refuse criticism? Do you think, I'm not listening to people criticize me. If you're not gonna be polite and kind I'm just gonna ignore what you say.
[00:00:24] As ever, the Bible has something to say about this. Let me read this first. In the ESV English Standard Version, it's kind of the closest to the original.
[00:00:33] He who is often reprove reproved, yet stiffens his neck will suddenly be beyond broken, beyond healing.
[00:00:41] This is Proverbs 29, 1 ESV, English Standard Version.
[00:00:44] He who is often reproved yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
[00:00:50] What's that gotta do with criticism? Well, let's flick over to the NIV. Let's see what they say. The New International Version, the latest version of it.
[00:00:56] Whoever remains stiff necked after many rebukes will [00:01:00] suddenly be destroyed without remedy.
[00:01:03] Let's skip onto the NLT. The New Living Translation, a wonderful translation if English is not your first language and it says it even more beautifully for us.
[00:01:12] Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
[00:01:19] Now, I don't know about you, but beyond recovery isn't where I ever want to get to! Yes, God is always the God of the second chances, but He who don't listen's gonna get broken to the point that no, no one's gonna put him back together again. That's not where we want to be! So how good are you at accepting criticism?
[00:01:37] Now, this isn't about saying someone criticizes you, has a go at you, therefore you just need to listen and do what they say.
[00:01:42] We're not talking about that. Okay? This is, we we're adults here, we're not gonna quote silly things. But if someone criticizes you, you need to listen to that criticism. Why? Because otherwise you are not accountable. What's accountability got to do with it? It is critically important for us, those of us who [00:02:00] love Jesus Christ, to be accountable. that means listening to people who say what we don't want to hear. It's really important!
[00:02:08] Otherwise we'd go off more. We become all egotistical. We ended up being a narcissist, and we don't listen to people. The Bible's really clear, new Living Translation, proverbs 29 verse one.
[00:02:19] Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
[00:02:25] Make yourself accountable. Allow people to be critical and walk and live in peace. So what they say doesn't crush you, because it shouldn't matter what they say to you, if you are serving God. But make yourself accountable. Because otherwise you may find yourself suddenly destroyed beyond help.
[00:02:45] Just a thought.
Andy B, 04/07/2023