It's Critical!

The daily verse for 7/5 is from Ecclesiastes 7:5, "It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool."  NLT

The Message translation says similarly, "You'll get more from the rebuke of a sage than from the song and dance of fools."  Once again, wisdom wins.  A lot of us want to be encouraged in our folly, instead of having someone point out that we're not exactly acting the right way.  If anyone dares to tell us we're making a mistake, or let's us know they disapprove of our bad behavior, we like to use the age-old crutch that other's shouldn't judge us.  In some cases, they shouldn't.  But in other cases, we would be so much better off to have someone wisely tell us to re-evaluate what we are doing.  To me, good accountability is much more profitable than empty praise.  One can make you a better person.  The other can be an agent of destruction. 

Yet, criticism is a hard pill to swallow, even when it is constructive.  We all know that people do not like it when we disagree with them, and then proceed to tell them why!  But when criticism is done wisely, it is a result of love and respect.  I think we could all be spared a little sorrow and heartache if we took heed to constructive criticism.  A real friend doesn't let you keep barreling down a dead-end road.  A real friend loves you enough to tell you you're going in the wrong direction, then puts their arm in yours, helps turn you around, and walks with you in the right direction.  I'd rather have that kind of friend any day.