From the UCC Network: Devotional for 12/26 "Learning from Criticism"

Learning from Criticism 

Excerpt from Jeremiah 26:1-9, 12-15

And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, ‘You shall die!” … Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, ‘…As for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.’

Reflection by Lillian Daniel

Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news. Have you ever heard the expression, “Don’t kill the messenger?” It became an expression for a reason. People hate to be told off.

Here Jeremiah criticized the people and they turned on him, violently. With courage, he admitted that his life was in their hands. He called them to conscience, and his life was spared when some of the elders spoke up and told the community that Jeremiah was worth listening to.

Who is the hero of this story? Jeremiah, certainly, but I also nominate the elders, who were willing to hear criticism and own up to it. If it’s hard to be the bearer of bad news, it is even harder to receive it.

Here’s a real test of spiritual maturity. How capable are you of learning from criticism? God uses critics to set us straight. When we can’t hear God, God has to engage a third party: a prophet, family member, trusted friend or colleague to sit us down and tell us off.

We’ve all experienced unfair criticism. So our first response is to ask ourselves if this is justified.  But if there’s even a small part of us that thinks it could be, we need to stop, listen and pray. The best way to learn from criticism is to pray over it, and that takes time.

So the next time you want to shoot the messenger, remember the elders who held back the crowd, protected their critic and called the community to conscience.

Prayer

Bless me with an open heart, to learn from the words of others, even when it is painful. Make me an elder who can grow and change. Amen.

About the Author Lillian Daniel is the senior minister of the First Congregational Church, UCC, Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Her new book, This Odd and Wondrous Calling: the Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers, co-authored with Martin B. Copenhaver, has just been published.