Good day dear listeners and welcome again to overcoming temptations, My name is Oyisi Okatahi. Today our topic is titled Accepting Positive Criticism. Our Bible passage is taken from Proverbs 29:1 it says in the New Living Translation- Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. Human beings by nature do not like to be criticized, in fact in some countries if you criticize the Government you could get arrested or even charged with Treason. Some critics are malicious meaning that they are criticizing out of envy, hatred or just careless criticism. However there are other critics that criticize out of love and desire for improvement.
It is always good to listen to criticism because it makes you a better and wiser person, especially when it is positive criticism. Many times when we are criticized we get defensive and begin to defend ourselves by doing so we loose out the lesson. The Bible says if people keep advising us and we refuse to listen we may eventually destroy ourselves. For instance on this radio programme some people commend others criticize by making suggestions for improvement. So we need to keep an open mind.
I knew of someone who died of AIDS, now this person lived a careless life and slept around. This person was advised that sexual immorality displeases God, but said he was not a child and knew what he was doing. Eventually he became HIV positive, it was managed with Retroviral drugs, but he had an infection and eventually passed on. Was he advised, yes, did he listen, no, did he pay the price, yes.
I also learnt of a driver who likes to insist on his way, he was advised that if an oncoming car is wrongly on his lane he should clear out even though he has the right of lane, so as to avoid a head on collision. But he found it hard to do, and one day an on coming car was wrongly overtaking on his lane, he expected the car to move, the car expected him to move and they had an head on collision with lives lost. Was he advised, yes, did he listen, no, did he pay the price, yes.
Nigeria as a country has been advised about the consequence of corruption, that will destroy a nation. No country is completely free of corruption but it should be minimal. Was Nigeria advised, yes, did we listen, no, are we paying the price, yes. High inflation, poverty, currency devaluation, insurgency and so on.
The truth is that being open to positive criticism and advice is for our own good. If we listen to advice we benefit if we reject it we suffer, it is that simple.
Also it is important to give advice in a loving way. For instance if a woman tells her husband look at your mates or contemporaries they have houses, what do you have. Now what she is saying could be the truth, her husband may need to work harder or invest wisely. However because her approach was harsh her husband may reject the advise. She would have rather said, darling don’t you think we can consider getting a house of our own to save rental costs. Something like that would easily be accepted. So criticism is good but we need to make them positive and constructive.
Remember being open to criticism is for our own good, if we keep rejecting a particular advice given by love ones, then we have ourselves to blame for the consequences.
May the Lord grant us grace and favour in Jesus name. Have a blessed day.
