Criticism

Paderewski was a great Polish pianist. But when he first chose to take piano lessons a teacher said to him, “Your hands are too small. You will never be able to master the keyboard.”

Caruso was one of the greatest tenors who ever lived. When he went for his first voice lesson in Italy, the teacher said to him, “Your voice is like wind whistling through a window.” He refused to give him voice lessons.

Alexander Graham Bell spent years working to develop and perfect his telephone. When he displayed it to a group of people, they said, “You are a fool with a useless toy.”

As Christians we must learn to look at criticism as a “challenge and call to courage” and turn to the Lord for His guidance. If we are grateful for the skills and talents God has given us, we will accept every opportunity to “do better” as a gift to honor Him. The choice is ours: We can choose to rise to the occasion, meet it and be victorious, or give up in fear because we do not trust in Him. The God of our salvation and hope says that with His help all things are possible. We must only accept and act in His strength and power, knowledge and wisdom.

Prayer: Lord of our lives, whenever we face an obstacle, may we see it as an opportunity to turn to You for grace and guidance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Colossians 1:11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;