How to Respond to Criticism
October 21, 2020
Commentary
The people refused to accept Jeremiah’s declaration of doom because it conflicted with the life they were enjoying (vv. 18-23). Proud sinners don’t enjoy hearing about God’s sovereignty or the threat of impending judgment. Their solution was to attack him with their tongues in an effort to slander and malign his message (v. 18). Just like people today, they thought that by silencing the messenger they would silence the Lord. Jeremiah told the Lord that they were even plotting to take his life (“they have dug a pit” v. 21). Jeremiah reacted to their threats by calling on God to listen to their accusations and to judge these plotters for their sin. He called on God to deal with them in His time of anger (vv. 21-23). Faithful servants of God don’t enjoy opposition but they learn to expect it. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
We need to realize that Jeremiah felt deep pain because the leaders of his day rejected the truth. How do you suppose you or I would react if we were attacked by hateful enemies who lied about us, set traps for us, and dug pits for us? Perhaps we would also get upset and ask God to deal with them. There is a righteous anger against sin that is acceptable to God, “Be angry, and sin not.” (Eph.4:26). If it doesn’t seem right to us that Jeremiah gets angry perhaps some of us don’t get angry enough about the sin in this present evil world. The media has exposed to us so much sin that we tend to accept it as a normal part of life and don’t want to do anything about it. We have compromised to the point that it isn’t “politically correct” to be critical of ideas that are definitely unbiblical.
Application
How do I respond to criticism when I speak up for the Lord? Am I more concerned about what people think or what God commands?
Jeremiah 18:18– 23 (NET)
18 Then some people said, “Come on! Let us consider how to deal with Jeremiah! There will still be priests to instruct us, wise men to give us advice, and prophets to declare God’s word. Come on! Let’s bring charges against him and get rid of him! Then we will not need to pay attention to anything he says.”
19 Then I said, “Lord, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying.
20 Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. Just remember how I stood before you pleading on their behalf to keep you from venting your anger on them.
21 So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease and the younger men die by the sword in battle.
22 Let cries of terror be heard in their houses when you send bands of raiders unexpectedly to plunder them. For they have virtually dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for me to step into.
23 But you, Lord, know all their plots to kill me. Do not pardon their crimes! Do not ignore their sins as though you had erased them. Let them be brought down in defeat before you. Deal with them while you are still angry!
Illustration: If Criticism is Just Do Something About It
The late Robert A. Cook, former president of King’s College used to speak at Word of Life in New York. Once I heard him tell a story from the early years of his ministry. He had been receiving some rather pointed criticism, and he sought the counsel of a friend, pastor Harry A. Ironside. Pouring out his heart, Dr. Cook asked what he should do about the accusations being made against him. Ironside responded, “Bob, if the criticism about you is true, mend your ways! If it isn’t, forget about it!” (Lou Nicholes – Missionary with Word of Life).