4th May 2014

A Way Of Dealing with Criticism
Earlier this week I was listening to someone ranting about Christianity. It was all the usual things and it ended with a final flourish, accusing us all of being, “a band of hypocrites”.

Usually such things go in one ear and out the other, but on this occasion I reminded myself that the accusation of being “Hypocrites” was a charge Jesus levelled at the Pharisees.

Clearly God does not like hypocrisy either!

Being a hypocrite is more than, as is often suggested, saying one thing and then doing another; which after all can simply be a thoughtless mistake.
No, hypocrites are people who pretend to be good and virtuous, but are not. Outwardly they put on a face, which is the opposite of what is really going on internally.

When it comes to religion, and this was particularly true of the Pharisees, they seem to forget that they cannot bluff God. He sees and knows us as we really are.  There can be no pretence with God. He not only sees our actions, but what is in our hearts; what motivates us.

In fact this is what really interests him. It is the heart that matters. With this in mind rather than ignore it, or being irritated by it, we can use this accusation of, “being hypocrites” as a way into prayer.  We can ask ourselves honestly before God. Are we hypocrites? It’s a simple question, which unlike the Pharisees we need not be frightened of. We can be confident that God loves us so much, that we can be honest before him. We need to let his light fall upon our attitudes in mind and heart and to what extent we put it into practice, or consciously do the opposite. Then with God’s grace we can try to make our lives more truly reflect what we believe.

None of us likes criticism. If we allow God in, however, we can use it constructively for good.