Proverbs 15: 31-32 (NLT)
“31 If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. 32 If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.”
If I had only captured this scripture and understood the full breadth of its meaning years ago, there’s no telling where I’d be in the Lord right now. The first words of this passage can present an obstacle for many people. It says, ‘if you listen’, and this is something most of us don’t do. It’s almost a lost art. These three words also meant that we have a choice. We can listen to constructive criticism or we can ignore it. Most people ignore it or don’t listen to it at all. It is common in our society to reject anything that doesn’t stroke our egos or doesn’t add to the perception of ourselves that we hold. We’d rather dismiss it than to make room for it in our hearts and minds. Some of us flat out reject the possibility that when criticism is beneficial, it can add to our lives tremendously. It can aid our spiritual growth by helping us change our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors for the better.
None of us are too fond of hearing that we can do things better or that our point of view on certain things isn’t matching reality. Even those of us that are mature in the Lord have a challenging time with this. One of the things that will help us digest constructive criticism is to know that when we’re about to move to the next level of growth and blessing, correction is a necessary step. It is one of the signals that affirms we’re getting ready to leave some things behind so that we can make room to receive blessings that are more useful to our journeys.
Hebrews 12:1(NLT) tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” The race that God has set before us is a journey that will take the duration of our lives, and it never ends. While we’re here on this earth, Heavenly Father tells us to strip off the stuff that keeps us weighted down. We cannot escape the reality that sometimes we’re not aware we’re carrying heavy stuff that weighs us down, and this is the place were constructive criticism can help. It can point us in the right direction.
Wisdom is a great teacher. One of the things we must accept is that it comes to us when we need it most, because God wants us to grow in Christ and become more like him. Lessons are not always wrapped in comfortable clothing. Criticism can be sharp, but often this indicates how important it is that we make some corrections and tweaks. If we reject this correction, we’re only hurting ourselves, because we’re signaling everything around us that we’re too stubborn or arrogant to humble ourselves to Heavenly Father’s correction. None of us should ever want to be this way. We must always remember that God wants the best for His children, and when we receive constructive criticism, it is often to help extend our reach so we can take hold of what He has for us.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“You’ll Grow if You Listen to Correction ” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.