If there is anything that you should know about me, it is that I LOVE the Word of God. I love digging deep and gaining revelation, and no matter how much I read the Word, it is always new.
Well this weekend, I was reading in Proverbs 29, and I happened upon this scripture:
“Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.”
Now this scripture may seem like nothing to you, or some nice Proverb you’ve read 500 times, but let me explain to you why this simple and frankly, pretty ominous, scripture blew my mind this weekend.
It started with the word “recovery.” My childhood was not easy, and in an effort to heal from the hurts of my past, I am currently going through a recovery course at my church. Because of this, I was intrigued when I read the word recovery in this scripture, so I began to dig into what this word really means.
It turns out that in Hebrew, there are two words for “healing” that can be used. There is rapha, which connotes a physical healing, like when Jesus healed the lepers and when John and Peter prayed for the lame man at the gate called Beautiful.
But there is also a second word, marpe, which is used in this instance in Proverbs 29. Marpe also means healing, but a physical, emotional, and mental healing. It comes from a Hebrew root that means composure and tranquility, and can mean to gain a healthy, composed, and peaceful mind.
WOW.
If you aren’t already blown away by the depth of this scripture, then I don’t know what will impress you.
That means that in this scripture, God is saying that CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is essential to gain a balanced, healthy, composed, peaceful(or renewed…Romans 12:2) mind.
Wait….what?
Ohhhhh yeah, I just got slapped in the face with the Word.
None of us likes to hear that we are doing something wrong, but having an open mind and accepting the corrections that people give us is necessary to killing pride in our life and remaining humble, which brings me to a scripture that occurs later on in that very same chapter.
“Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.”
Boooooommmmmmmm……God basically just gave us a road map for mental and emotional healing, and all we have to do is look a little deeper.
I am learning more and more every day that criticism is not an attack on your character but an opportunity to learn and grow. That is why I am so excited to go on the World Race.
Other racers will give me “feedback” or constructive criticism, and although that is terrifying, I am so excited to live a lifestyle of flexibility and humility.
God is just so good. His Word is so good. You just have to look a little deeper.
