Acts 11:2-3

When Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticised him. “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.

Criticism always stings. It must have been so hard for Peter to face a barrage of criticism when he returned to Jerusalem. God had given him a vision and opened his eyes to a new world in which God was wanting to welcome everyone to himself. This turned Peter’s previous thinking on its head and this discovery clearly excited him. How discouraging it must have been to face up to his critics. But we can learn a lot from the way that he did so.

He would have fully understood where his critics were coming from because, before his recent revelation, he would have thought exactly the same way. So, he patiently went through his testimony. He told them about the remarkable vision and the way in which the Gentile visitors from Caesarea had come and received the gift of salvation. Peter’s hearers in Jerusalem were silenced by his story and offered no further objections. Instead, they praised God and acknowledged that he was now willing to accept even the Gentiles (see vv4-18).

It’s never pleasant being criticised but the best response is to do exactly what Peter did. He gave a calm and thoughtful account of his experiences, explaining how he had come to his conclusion. It is always a bad response to be defensive and, worst of all, to be rude. When you share your story, your hearers won’t necessarily be persuaded, but if you have shared it carefully and calmly it will give a basis for further conversation. We all need to pray for the wisdom, strength and grace to handle criticism. In that way God is honoured and people are built up.

Question

What have you learned from this story about the way in which you could handle criticism in the future?

Prayer

Lord help me to learn from Paul’s example. Please give me your wisdom so that I may always respond to criticism with love, thoughtfulness and grace. Amen