2021-08-11
Proverbs 12:1 NKJV
There are two kinds of kinds of criticism: (1) Unfair criticism. There’ll always be people who love to rain on your parade; people who try to build themselves up by tearing others down. Mark Twain said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
(2) Constructive criticism. Solomon said, “Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear” (Proverbs 25:12 NIV). There’s a major obstacle you must overcome in order to reach your highest potential. What is it? Our natural reluctance to discover anything unflattering about ourselves. When you erect defenses against your inadequacies and try to hide your faults, you close the door to a vital source of self-knowledge. And in so doing, you deny yourself the joy of growing.
Every one of us can improve what we’re doing or the way we’re doing it. In fact, if you’re still celebrating what you did last year – you’re not making enough progress this year. After winning his third world championship, instead of having a big celebration, bull rider Tuff Hedeman moved on to Denver to start a new season – the whole process over again. His line of reasoning was: “The bull in Denver won’t be impressed with what I did last week.” Whether you’re an untested rookie or a veteran, if you want to be a champion tomorrow, you must be teachable today. Or as Solomon puts it: “Whoever learns from correction is wise” (Proverbs 15:5 NLT).
Soul food: Ruth 1-4; Luke 12:35-48; Ps 119:41-48; Prov 17:17
Spreuke 12:1 NLV
Daar is twee tipes kritiek: 1) Onregverdige kritiek. Daar sal altyd mense wees wat hulself probeer opbou deur ander mense af te breek. Mark Twain het gesê: ‘Bly weg van mense wat jou ambisies probeer verkleineer. Kleingeestige mense doen dit altyd, maar waarlike groot mense laat jou voel dat jy ook groot kan wees.’ 2) Konstruktiewe kritiek. Salomo het gesê: ‘Soos ‘n goue ring by goue juwele, so is die wyse vermaning by die oor wat bereid is om daarna te luister’ (Spreuke 25:12 NLV).
Daar is ‘n groot struikelblok wat jy moet oorkom sodat jy jou hoogste potensiaal kan bereik. Wat is hierdie struikelblok? Ons natuurlike onwilligheid om enigiets onvleiend oor onsself te ontdek. Wanneer jy mure om jou eie onvoldoendheid bou en jou foute probeer wegsteek, maak jy die deur op ‘n noodsaaklike bron van self-kennis toe. Wanneer jy dit doen, ontneem jy jouself die vreugde van groei.
Elkeen van ons kan dit wat ons doen of die manier wat ons dit doen, verbeter. As jy steeds dit wat jy verlede jaar gedoen het vier, het jy nog nie genoeg vooruitgang hierdie jaar gemaak nie. Nadat hy sy derde wêreldkampioenskap gewen het, het die rodeo-kampioen, Tuff Hedeman, nie ‘n groot feesviering gehad nie, maar na Denver toe getrek om ‘n nuwe seisoen te begin – om die hele proses van voor af te begin. Sy redenasie was as volg: ‘Die bul in Denver sal nie beïndruk wees met dit wat ek verlede week gedoen het nie.’
Of jy nou ‘n nuweling of ‘n veteraan is, as jy môre ‘n kampioen wil wees, moet jy vandag onderrigbaar wees. Of, soos Salomo dit stel: ‘…iemand wat hom laat reghelp, is verstandig’ (Spreuke 15:5 NLV).
Sielskos: Rut 1-4; Luk 12:35-48; Ps 119:41-48; Spr 17:17
Proverbs 12:1 NLT
There are two kinds of criticism: 1) Unfair criticism. There’ll always be people who seem to enjoy criticising us; people who try to build themselves up by tearing others down. It might be because they’re jealous of our achievements and want to lessen our joy, or they might think that the only way they can feel good about themselves is by making others feel bad. We should try to avoid their influence on us, but we should also pray for them.
2) Constructive criticism. Solomon said, ‘Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear’ (Proverbs 25:12 NIV). Constructive criticism is very valuable to us if we want to find ways to improve ourselves and what we’re doing. But we’re naturally reluctant to hear or discover anything that’s critical or unflattering about ourselves, and this reluctance is a major obstacle we need to overcome if we want to reach our highest potential.
We’ll often try to avoid criticism by becoming defensive or trying to hide our flaws from other people, but when we do that, we close the door to a vital source of self-knowledge and lose the joy of growing. Every one of us can improve what we’re doing or the way we’re doing it. In fact, if we’re still celebrating what we did last year, we’re probably not making enough progress this year. If we want to achieve something tomorrow, we must be teachable today. Or as Solomon put it: ‘Whoever learns from correction is wise’ (Proverbs 15:5 NLT).
Ruth 1-4; Luke 12:35-48; Ps 119:41-48; Prov 17:17
2021-08-10
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
Are you grieving the death of a loved one? Are you walking through the fires of divorce? Have you lost your home or your job? Are you trying to pick up the pieces of your life and start over? God says, “The plans I have for you…are…good.” When you involve God, the best is yet to be! But it’s impossible to move forward when you’re trapped in the past.
When “The Great Paderewski” first started studying piano, his teacher told him his hands were too small to master the keyboard. Yet the fire in his soul drove him to become a world-renowned pianist. When “The Great Caruso” first started studying voice, his teacher said he sounded like the wind whistling through the window. But today he’s remembered as one of the world’s greatest tenors.
If you need inspiration, look no further than Christ. “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it…he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – he could put up with anything…When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again…That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:2-3 MSG).
When it comes to your losses, grieve them and leave them. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isa 43:18-19 NIV). The word for you today is: keep looking ahead, because things are going to get better.
Soul food: Obadiah; 2 John; Luke 12:22-34; Ps 119:33-40; Prov 17:16
Jeremia 29:11 NLV
Rou jy oor die afsterwe van ‘n geliefde? Loop jy deur die vure van ‘n skeisaak? Het jy jou huis of werk verloor? Probeer jy om die skerwe van jou lewe op te tel en oor te begin? God sê: ‘Ek beplan voorspoed vir julle, nie teëspoed nie…’ Wanneer jy God betrokke maak, lê die beste nog voor!
Toe Ignace Paderewski begin klavierlesse neem het, het sy onderwyser vir hom gesê dat sy hande te klein is om die klawerbord te bemeester. Tog het die vuur in sy gees hom aangedryf om ‘n wêreldbekende pianis te word. Toe Enrico Caruso begin sanglesse neem het, het sy onderwyser gesê hy klink soos die wind wat by die venster inwaai. Vandag word hy egter as een van die wêreld se beste tenore onthou.
As jy inspirasie nodig het, hoef jy nie verder as Christus te soek nie. ‘Laat ons maar net die wedloop hardloop deur op Jesus te konsentreer. Hy het vir ons gewys wat dit beteken om op God te vertrou… Die skande en vernedering van die kruis was nie vir Hom te veel nie. Hy het dit alles verdra omdat Hy geweet het dat daar soveel blydskap daarna vir Hom wag… As julle sy voorbeeld volg, sal julle nooit moedeloos word en tou opgooi nie’ (Hebreërs 12:2-3 DB).
Wanneer dit by verliese in jou lewe kom, rou oor hulle en laat hulle dan agter. ‘Vergeet al die dinge wat in die verlede gebeur het. Dis niks in vergelyking met wat Ek nog gaan doen nie… Sien julle dit nie? Ek gaan ‘n pad maak in die wildernis… Ek maak vir hulle riviere in die woestyn!’ (Jesaja 43:18-19 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is: Hou aan vorentoe kyk, want dinge gaan beter word.
Sielskos: Obadja; 2 Joh; Luk 12:22-34; Ps 119:33-40; Spr 17:16
