The "ism" of Criticism -- part 3

As we continue with our study of criticism, and more specifically “destructive criticism” as exemplified in the book of Nehemiah, let’s look at what Nehemiah 4: 7 tells us. Here we see that when the words spoken by Sanballat and Tobiah didn’t stop the rebuilding of the walls, these accusers next plotted to create a greater, larger force to come against those working on the wall project.

Nehemiah 4: 7 (NKJV)

Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, ⁸ and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. ⁹ Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

The Ammonites were from the east and were descendants of Lot. The Ashodites were from the west and the Arabs were from the south. They conspired together with the end goal of stopping Nehemiah and his workers, and in so doing, destroying the God-given vision of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

Mothers of Nations, criticism can wear you down if you let it. And that is exactly the devil’s goal:  to wear us down and to get us to quit pressing on to the mark of our high calling.

Can you imagine how these Jews who were committed to the vision felt? There is no doubt that just the process of building long and hard days must have been exhausting. But then added to that the constant criticism and belittling must have drained any excitement they might have earlier had in their participation in the project.

When joy disappears, so does the strength to resist criticism. Have you ever been so weary from criticism that you have wondered, “Is this fight worth it?”  I know I certainly have felt that way during challenging times.

Yet let’s not forget what Galatians 6: 9 (NKJV) says.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

If you have grown weary lately . . .  keep on! It will always be worth it in the end when God asks us to do something. He sees what we cannot see and He knows what we do not yet know.

Destructive criticism will eventually cause us to make a choice.

• We can either keep going or we can quit.
• We can either adjust and change or we can feel sorry for ourselves.
• We can grow up and move on or stay where we are defeated.

So with all the trouble and backlash that was coming against the builders as they attempted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah knew that he needed to pray and hear from God.

Nehemiah 4: 9 (NKJV) 

Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

As he prayed Nehemiah remembered that God Himself had told Nehemiah to do this.  With renewed and refreshed vision, he declared that God would bring them through.

Nehemiah 4: 15, 16, 23 (NKJV)

¹⁵And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. ¹⁶ So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. ²³ So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing.

Nehemiah adjusted his previous plan and stationed workers, fighters and guards at night around the walls. He also reminded all the people to stay focused on God and on the vision towards which they were working. And as we finish the passage in the Book of Nehemiah, we see that the God-given vision was accomplished and all the critical attempts to stop the rebuilding were finally thwarted.

Next week we will finish our discussion of this topic of criticism with some general thoughts on the subject and also look at some ideas as to why some people are critical.

Stay focused Mothers of Nations on your God-given visions and don’t let any destructive criticism stop you from completing your assignments!

Dr. Sharon Predovich