Feeling at Home
“If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.”
Proverbs 15:31
When you live in the fishbowl called ministry, inviting the world into your personal life there are always growth opportunities. Someone has an opinion about the translation of the Bible you use in teaching or another feels sleeveless shirts aren’t appropriate. Over the past decade I have grown some thick skin.
There are however, the rare occasions when you open your email box to find a note written with love and sweet words of constructive criticism. Here’s the skinny on the email I received from a well-meaning Christian sista’.
I had asked for prayer for a book proposal I was planned to submit to an Acquisition Editor. Through the prompting of Spirit she felt lead to share some thoughts about my writing, its style, accuracy, and organization. At first, the words stung and fell on deaf ears then I remembered Proverbs 15:31. With the knowledge of this verse I reread the email, over and over again. I heard truth and felt her desire to help me and began to feel home among the wise.
Not all criticism is cradled in love but in some cases, some criticism is tapered with some truth.
Home represents a safe place, one of protection and security. Home is a place of love. Solomon teaches we can have a feeling of “at home” when we allow ourselves to receive words that were possibly meant to hurt to help.
This “at home” feeling doesn’t doesn’t come without few tears and time. Not everyone who “feels lead” to share their thoughts about you with you are tucked with truth. Submitting to the truth of Proverbs 15:31 will help us know when to listen and when to dismiss.
Sure glad you could “receive” it with the apparent spirit it was intended, and that was to help, not harm you, in spirit and in truth, not to be mean and ugly. Thank God he can help us see these things when all our flesh wants to do is rebel and strike back.
Blessings,
April Bunch
Wendy, thanks for sharing this particular proverb today. I am going to try to keep it in my mind and my heart when someone shares some thoughts about myself or my “work” that would usually put me on the defense. There may be some truth that my defensiveness would cause me to miss…
Oh, how we need Jesus every hour. As the devil sets out to divide the body of Christ, – in our heart we know God’s desire is peace and harmony with all people. Yep, “all.” That means we can’t pick and choose who we want to be at peace with. It is so easy to read the Bible, but so hard to live it. Only by the grace of God is it possible.
Dear Father, Help us to know when to listen and when to dismiss words from those You plant on our path. Help us realize that people are human and evil at heart. May Your love draw us closer to You rather than away from people You have placed around us. People that You alone have created and designed. Help us do Your work and further Your glorious kingdom, at all cost. May peace be our heart desire knowing in full awareness this is Your will for us. Jesus we need You every hour. Amen.