Criticism

 At a work morning tea, I found that a Manager I used to respect quite a bit was 'off' with me. Her body language and dismissive way was unfriendly, and this is playing on my mind.

I am working hard to change my personality and most of all the feeling of panic and helplessness I feel when people are rejecting. I don't have a 'loadstar' of changes I can make and so I found myself thinking I'd go back to scripture to find out how to respond.

This is because I can only change my behaviour by substituting something else in place of the old ways. In the Bible, there are those words of Jesus about the unclean spirit who returns.

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none; but when a man speaketh against the Holy Ghost, then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth him empty, swept and garnished; for the good spirit leaveth him unto himself. Matt 12:37

So I need to substitute God's ways in place of my old ways.

The Bible says various things about criticism. Firstly, I learn from this in relation to how I criticise others. 

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  James 1:19-20

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. Proverbs 29:11 



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