Stuff You Should Know Part 3

Series:  Stuff You Should Know Part 3

Dealing with Critics And Criticisms

Luke 13:10-17, 10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”  13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said,  “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound — think of it — for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”  17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. NKJV

Introduction:   This passage of scripture has so much within it that T.D. Jakes wrote a whole book on this one passage of scripture:  “Woman Thou Art Loosed” but I only want to address Critics and Criticism because as Leadership you better know how to address it and where it comes from

Many of the great leaders of the bible faced unjust criticism:

  • Moses – faced relentless criticism
    • From those he was leading
    • His harshest critics were His family members…Aaron and Miriam…
  • Paul faced criticism continually and seemed to always be under attack for the validity of his ministry, calling and apostleship.
  • Nehemiah – was criticized by enemies from without…
    • Neh 4:1-4, 4  Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3  Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building— if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” 4  Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. ESV
  • Anytime you are attempting to build anything…you can guarantee critics are coming…
    • If you are building a marriage
    • Building a family
    • Building a relationship with God
    • Building a ministry or church…
    • Here comes the critics…especially the ones from the outside…
  • No One Faced Criticism and a Critical Spirit like Jesus…
    • Yet in John 17 and from the cross we see Jesus praying for his critics.
    • Teaching us the first and best response to critics…
    • Prayer…

4 Types of Critics 

  • Institutional Criticism Criticized behavior that is outside of the context with their point of reference!
    • You are criticized for not fitting into their idea of normal
    • You are outside of their point of reference
    • They’ll make statements such as: “We don’t do that here…”
    • Anytime you don’t fit the institution you will be criticized…
    • That is what happened to Jesus in the text…the institution said, “we don’t heal on the Sabbath, so when Jesus did…it threatened their institution”
    • See you threaten the institution by your DISTINCTION
    • Jesus was distinctly different than other Rabbi’s and that threatened the Rabbinical institution
    • So they got a scripture and tried to run Jesus out….
    • The institution of Religion will always try to use Scripture to criticize because you threaten the institution

 

  • Positional Criticism
    • They criticize based on THEIR perspectives and priorities!
    • Based only on their perspective or positional point of view
    • They aren’t attacking “you” they are attacking the way you see something that is different from the way they see it.
    • Because “my” priorities are different than theirs; they attack me based on their priorities and perspective.
    • People like this think their perspective and priorities are sacred and are the Law…because it’s the only way to think…
      • They have never had a thought outside of their own paradigm…
      • They don’t value what you value or how you value
    • A sign of Maturity is to truly listen and learn to fit with different perspectives…
    • You have to learn to move in and out of different circles that may offend or cut against the grain of your perspective, values and priorities…
    • If you don’t, you will never have influence in those arenas.

 

  • Intimidation Based Criticism
    • They criticize because your success highlights their deficiencies
      • I heard a guys say, “Pardon me if my confidence offends your insecurities…”
    • These are the haters in your life who are envious of you…
    • I could go on and on about this group, but honestly you can spot them a mile away…

 

  • Associative Criticism
    • They criticize and attack what you represent
    • It’s not about you but who and what you are associated with
    • When you connect with me, you gain my friends and my cheerleaders, but you also gain my enemies…
      • Both in the natural and in the spirit
      • There are devils I fight that until you got on this Team or Church you never had to wrestle with…but because of association…you now have to fight these devils
    • A Church’s assignment will attract angelic activity that will cheer you on and partner with you in the heavens
      • But that same assignment attracts critical spirits that try and tear down….
      • Associative Criticism attacks you because of what you believe, but if you are convinced, hold your head up and don’t let them move you…

Listen:  do not chase down every critic or criticism…

  • When I was in Freeport I had this terrible rumor going around about me…centered around me being a young leader…I think I was 30 at the time…and I was changing too many things…I wanted to chase down the rumor and put a stop to it…but the Lord gave me a dream…In the dream I was chasing a snake in the church and in the process was knocking over chairs and people…the snake was running through and between the chairs. In my attempt I couldn’t kill or catch the snake…but all of a sudden a wonderful man in my dream killed the snake that I couldn’t catch…then I woke up and the Lord spoke tome and said if you chase after this rumor and critical spirit, you’ll destroy the church.
  • Prov 26:20, 20 When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down. (MSG)

Not all Criticism is bad or comes from a Negative Place…there is constructive criticism.  It goes back to the first message I shared in this series…you have to have connections and can speak the last 10% of truth in your life.

Constructive Criticism:

  • Is intended to build up…
  • At its core it has your best intentions at heart…you have to be careful with this because sometimes manipulation will look like something is in your best interest but honestly it isn’t
  • Constructive Criticism is Solution Oriented
    • Anybody can find problems but people make millions of dollars because they are solution oriented.
  • Constructive Criticism doesn’t pile on…
    • It identifies one or at the most two areas of growth and speaks to those areas with solution or at least dialogue to find solutions and resolutions.

Responding Properly to Critics

  • Assess the Criticism – is it just and is there merit…I don’t’ like the phrase “Haters will hate” because sometimes our perceived “Haters” are our biggest friends if we’ll assess it properly.
  • Nehemiah refused to come down from the Wall…He kept building…in spite of criticism!
  • Moses Prayed for his critics both family and those he was leading…
  • Jesus forgave his critics and he turned to God in Prayer and Praise from his critics…

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