Does the Shoe Fit?

When you work in a larger office and you've been used to working with just one other person, it takes awhile to find common ground and understanding of others' weird ways and ideas. And at the same you come to see that you have some weirdness yourself. I've also been having conversations with several people who are struggling with criticism. This article by David Powlison has a lot of meat to it and keen insight into what to do with criticism.

Here are some questions he asks:

"To what madnesses are you prone?...self-satisfaction... self-justification...self-protection...self- exaltation.. us vs. them." Ok, I'm guilty of all of them. How about you?

"Criticism brings out the worst in us, and we never know it."

I was brought up old school never to let a criticism go waste when you can use it to have a big old pity party inviting your good friends into the self-destruction. If I can get 2 or 3 witnesses to go along with me I feel pretty good about the whole thing and am more than willing to send "them" to hell in a hand basket.

"Christ uses critics to guard our soul from self-destructive tendencies...that doesn't mean critics are always right...but they are usually partially right. Others usually see something about me that it would help me to see about myself."

"Fair-minded criticism is one of life's best pleasures, an acquired taste well worth the acquiring. Someone who will take you seriously, understand you accurately, treat you charitably, and who then will lay it on the line is a messenger from God for your welfare...There is nothing quite like being disagreed with intelligently, lovingly, and openly: 'Faithful are the wounds of a friend' Prov. 27:6

"Critics... are servants of God to you for your good...to help us see ...outright failings of faith and practice, distorted emphasis, blind spots, areas of neglect, attitudes and actions contradictory to stated commitments, and yes, strengths and significant contributions."

He offers several real-life criticisms of his counseling profession well worth reading for practical lived out suggestions.

"Remember, the Lord of all seems to take particular delight in the messiness, change, variety and volatility of human history. (The kind of world He chooses to run is not a nice, tidy, 'let's all just get along' world.)...The God of peace...is always 'fussing' about what He sees going on. Jesus Christ is the trouble-making peacemaker, the grace-giving rebuker, the constructive voice and hands who tears out old wiring and remodels His house. The Teacher teaches His disciples to become the same."

"If we're willing to listen, to hear criticism as well as to give it, that goes a long way towards overcoming the disagreeable tendencies that lurk in us all."

The shoe fits and it's going to fit for all of life this side of heaven. Anyone want to borrow my shoes?

Does the Shoe Fit? by David Powlison