There are a few lessons that I have learned in the last few months about leadership, pastoring, and humility that I will be blogging about for the next several posts. One of which is that your critics are your best friends. That goes against every fiber of our being. We don't like to be criticized; we don't like to be wrong, and we don't like it when others recognize it and tell us. A good word of advice that has proven true to me: don't fight your critics, listen to them. They will tell you more truth about yourself than your friends and fans will. Your critics are really better for you than your adoring fans. Those who admire you, love you, and think you're great only tell you that which tends to inflate the coconut that is mounted on your neck. This does not help you, it only makes you more blind to your weaknesses. However, your critics whether they love you or hate you, will tell you more truth than your fans. The critic may even slander you and lie about you, but there is always some little hint of truth buried in those lies, and you usually know what that truth is, even when others do not. The knee-jerk reaction is to discount all that the critic has to say because some of it is false, but take what they say; examine yourself and find out how to deal with that problem that seems to be apparent to others.Proverbs 27:6 says Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Those who "kiss" you with flattery and nice words may be the ones who end up betraying you later: they are deceitful, but the wounds from a friend who tell you the cold hard truth that you don't want to hear may actually save your life! It's OK to have fans; love them, and enjoy them, but listen to your critics....even if you don't agree with them, they see something that you don't because it's probably in your blind spot.
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