Answering Critics

How do you respond to criticism?  Typically, I begin to pick the argument of the one criticizing me apart.  I think through all the flaws in their argument.  Sometimes I outline or write out how deeply they are incorrect.  Then I step back and look at how well constructed my rebuttal has become.

Is that the best course of action?  Not so much…

Psalm 119:41 – 42 is pretty clear on how David responded and by extension how I should respond, and further what Paul tells us is the proper way to respond to criticism.  David’s response is to lean not on his ability to rationally pick apart those who reproach him, no, he leans on the lovingkindness of God and his trust in the Word of God.

That lovingkindness can be applied on both sides of the event.  On the one hand it was the lovingkindness of a sovereign God who brought David into this reproach, David’s certainty of God’s sovereignty places him in a position of trust that there is a reason for this reproach, God is certainly aware of it.  On the other hand the person on the other side of the reproach, the critic, is one who is created in the image of God.  In 2 Timothy 2:24 – 25, Paul gives us instruction on how to best handle that.

The bottom line here is that like David we are to trust God for both our response and the response of the critic.  Not easy, but that is the assignment.