When People Throw Stones: Courage in the Face of Criticism

Anyone who faithfully follows and serves Christ is bound to face criticism at some point. There are only two types of criticism; constructive criticism and destructive criticism. Constructive criticism is warranted and should be welcomed because it is helpful and productive. The constructive critic loves and cares about us and they are gracious and well-intentioned and sincerely want to help us. The things they say to us or about us are true and need to change in our life. Their goal is to build us up and edify us and make us better. We should praise and thank God for people who love us enough to speak the truth to our face so we can change and grow more into the likeness of Christ. But then there is destructive criticism that is unwarranted and unwanted because it is unhelpful and unproductive. The destructive critic hates us and cares only about themselves and they are harsh and mean-spirited and simply want to hurt us. The things they say to us or about us are untrue and require no change in our life. Their goal is to tear us down and ruin us and make our life worse. We should praise and thank God for people who hate us and spread vindictive, scandalous lies behind our backs because no matter how evil-intended they may be, God intends it for our good, specifically, to change and grow us more into the likeness of Christ. The latter is the kind of criticism David had to cope with in this passage. David modeled SIX WAYS to not just survive but thrive when facing criticism of the worst kind.