Today’s post is a bit of a rant. Allow me to vent, just a little.
Again today, I saw some shining examples of people who get a kick out of shooting holes in the efforts of others who are doing God’s work. There seems to be a steady supply of “experts” whose sole purpose is to expose what others are doing wrong. I will use this as my format to request that unless you are doing something better than what someone else is doing, please leave them alone.
No, I didn’t get criticized today. But some good friends and organizations that I support did. Our efforts to reach the lost and minister to the hurting will ALWAYS be met with criticism. It happened to Jesus, I suppose we should be honored when it happens to us. But we don’t feel honored – we feel frustrated! My experience is, those who are always telling me a better way of fulfilling the mission of Jesus, do nothing to fulfill the mission themselves.
Here are some over-generalized statements on how I feel: Armchair quarterbacks are all talk and no action. People who tell guitar players they are too loud, can’t play one song. Those who tell preachers their theological mistakes don’t have the guts to preach even one message. Those who criticize the efforts of missionaries to spread the love of Jesus are too lazy to lift a finger for the Gospel’s sake. I know several who qualify for the above generalizations!
Elbert Hubbard said, “To escape criticism: do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” Kind of like our critics, huh?
I love how Jesus responded to the Pharisees when they criticized Him for healing the sick on the Sabbath. He simply ignored them and got on with the healing. Awesome!
Anyone interested in personal and spiritual growth understands and embraces the value of constructive criticism. We all need that. But none of us need the aggravation that comes from perpetually negative critique.
Friends, don’t let some naysayer discourage you. Do what God tells you. And forget the knuckleheads who are doing nothing.
Ok, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Oh, and if you disagree with me on this, keep it to yourself. We are too busy doing God’s work to care what you think! 🙂
Thoughts on Life and Leading 
I just read this quote and had to add it – it seems quite appropriate!
“It is not the critic who counts;
nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled,
or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena;
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again
and again because there is no effort
without error and shortcomings;
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at best knows in the end,
the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst,
if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly;
so that his place shall never be with
those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt ~