"If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you." - John 15:18 & 19.
Generally when the topic of Criticism in ministry is addressed it is approached from one of two ways:
1) Find the validity among the criticism and grow from it.
2) Find the deeper issue impacting and fueling your attackers criticism and emphasize with them.
While it is certainly true that there is always some validity, my experience tells me that there is generally about an ounce of validity to every pound of criticism. Yes, we should address the ounce...but we need to move on and ignore the rest of it. I think sometimes we work so hard validating criticism that we go so far as to validate things that ought not be. Likewise, it is true that deeper issues fuel the critical nature of our accusers but I personally don't find that contemplating this fact does much good.
In contrast to these two focuses, I am instead suggesting that we focus on a third possibility, that maybe our criticism is because we are on the right track. It is with this in mind that I am actually starting to appreciate criticism, for as someone involved in a Western World, middle class suburban ministry, criticism is the closest I will ever get to joining Christ in persecution. So instead of trying to validate our criticism, let us take joy in the fact that often it is not valid, for that might just mean that we are walking with Christ.
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