Voices Of Criticism
Notes
Transcript
Review
Review
Turn to Nehemiah 4.
Nehemiah chapter three taught us about the people of the work and about the labor required in building the wall of Jerusalem. From the high priest, to business leaders and government officials, everyone was involved in the work. The same principle applies in the local church.
This was a season of hard work. Life often requires hard work even in a culture that increasingly runs from it. This wasn’t just a 9-5 job. If you wait until it is easy or convenient to serve the Lord, you won’t end up serving Him at all. While we have to guard ourselves against burnout in local church ministry, we have to be willing to “take up the cross” as Jesus said, and follow Him.
Introduction
Introduction
Read Nehemiah 4:1-5
Working for 4.5 years in the Walmart private fleet, I had the privilege of getting to know quite a few Walmart truck drivers. They came in all ages. Some were new hires, eager to work their way up the ladder of seniority. Many others had been trucking for 20-30+ years.
I had respect for those guys. It was those men and a few women that were the backbone of the American economy. Some of those old timers would speak with pride of what the company was like in the days when its founder, Sam Walton, was still around.
Read this slowly, with a smile:
Many of those drivers were good ol’ boys who would give a man the shirt off his back, but a few of the old drivers taught me some valuable lessons in having a thick skin.
Our office was setup like a doctor’s office. Drivers would come in from the parking lot, enter the waiting room, and then approach a window where they would drop off their paperwork and pickup their next dispatch. During peak season we would get slammed and the line of drivers waiting for dispatch paperwork would grow. Each one was running their own schedule, and most were wanting to get out the door in a hurry. Besides, many of them fought traffic or were cut off by crazy drivers out on the road and neither of those things put them into a good attitude.
It didn’t happen much, but there were a handful of times where circumstances aligned just right that a driver took it on himself just to chew me up one side and down the other. Now I don’t harbor any hard feelings over that today but I’ll admit, it wasn’t too pleasant an experience at the time. The reality is, we knew it was better for the drivers to blow off some steam in the office rather than behind the wheel of their truck. Sometimes they even came back and apologized for it. And again, I still think that Walmart private fleet drivers are among the best on the road.
Read this slowly:
I share that story not to get sympathy but to acknowledge this reality: we all know what its like to be unfairly criticized. What is more difficult is knowing how to handle it.
For the second time in this book, we find Nehemiah facing criticism from the same direction as before. Sanballat and Tobiah show up - and its only to cause trouble.
When Nehemiah was criticized…
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He didn’t respond to their criticism; he immediately brought it before God - Nehemiah 4:4
Imagine with me that you were in the middle of building a house and someone walks up to you and says, “What you’re building right there, that thing’s so weak that if a fox comes along, even he’ll be able to knock it down.”
How would that make you feel? What would you do?
Foxes don’t go around like a bull-in-a-china-shop.
Foxes don’t take a shock and awe approach when they’re on the hunt.
They’re not like a bear that lumbers or crashes through the woods. Instead, they sneak around. They move softly. They’re not an animal that is going to break down a stone wall, but that’s what Tobiah said as he peeked from behind Sanballat.
I can’t help but imagine that Sanballat was like the playground bully and Tobiah was the spineless coward who just stood behind him and hurled insults all day.
And so I ask you, had you been on the receiving end of that criticism what would you have done?
Nehemiah was wise in that he did two things:
He didn’t respond to their criticism. In other words, he didn’t just lash back out and return the favor. He wisely kept from saying anything.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: But he that refraineth his lips is wise.
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: And a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Nehemiah refrained from saying anything, but here’s the important thing: he didn’t stop there. He didn’t just give them the silent treatment. The second thing he did was he immediately brought their criticism before God.
Application: When you are criticized, who do you turn to?
When a customer lashes out at you at work or when a coworker goes to your employer and blames you for a problem, who do you turn to?
When a family member turns on you, and stabs you in the back, who do you turn to?
You live long enough and face enough criticism, you’re going to find this to be true: Your soul needs an outlet.
Some folks when they get criticized, they lash back out at twice the intensity. Nehemiah didn’t do that here.
Others, when they get criticized they just bottle it up inside. But you know what happens? It eats them up on the inside too. Nehemiah didn’t do that either.
But you know what a lot of us tend to do? We take that criticism and we talk to everybody else about it but God.
Before you put that post on social media and before you run to your friends, why not be like Nehemiah and run to God? Why not tell Him everything that you are feeling?
Nehemiah heard their taunting criticism and what did he do? He prayed! In fact, it’s the first thing that he did!
“Hear, O our God; for we are despised:”
I have no doubt that Nehemiah felt some pretty raw emotions at this moment but he did the right thing and brought those emotions to God.
Time does not allow us to explore this, but read through the Psalms and you’ll find the psalmists brought their complaints to the Lord many times over - Psalm 10, 22, 42, 43, 44, 74.
“Pastor Tim, God doesn’t care about my feelings and He doesn’t want to hear my complaints.”
Yes, He does. He already sees it all anyway - the best thing you can do is humble yourself and just admit it to Him.
Application: When you are criticized, bring that criticism before the throne of grace. There you will obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Nehemiah didn’t respond to their criticism; he immediately brought it before God. Secondly…
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He didn’t seek vengeance; he sought justice - Nehemiah 4:4-5
In the bustling world of middle school, justice is a serious matter—especially when it involves food.
Bobby was a quiet kid, but one thing he loved more than anything was his mom’s famous meatball sub. Every Wednesday, it was the highlight of his week.
But then there was Kevin—the class clown, notorious for his "practical jokes." One fateful Wednesday, Bobby opened his lunchbox only to find... nothing. Empty. Gone. A greasy note sat inside:
"Thanks for the meatballs! Love, The Lunch Bandit."
Bobby saw Kevin smirking across the cafeteria.
Bobby considered vengeance. He thought of stuffing Kevin's locker with raw fish or filling his backpack with shaving cream.
But then... Bobby paused. "No, no, no... this calls for justice. Creative, public, but still technically legal."
He spent the whole night plotting.
The next Wednesday, Bobby brought in a decoy meatball sub—but this time, loaded with extra, extra, extra hot ghost pepper sauce. So spicy it came with a tiny warning label.
Sure enough, during recess, Kevin "stole" the sandwich again.
Minutes later, the cafeteria echoed with screams as Kevin ran in circles, drinking milk straight from the carton, tears streaming down his face.
Bobby calmly stood up, pointed at Kevin, and announced:
"Ladies and gentlemen, today we witness the difference between vengeance and justice. Vengeance would have been me fighting Kevin. Justice is letting the meatball sub do it for me."
When it comes to practical jokes, the line between vengeance and justice sometimes gets a little blurry, but that wasn’t the case with this situation. Nehemiah refused any thought of getting even.
Read Nehemiah 4:4-5.
Nehemiah didn’t retaliate by airing their dirty laundry - and no doubt they had some. He didn’t leak anonymous criticism to the media. He didn’t write an incriminating letter about them to the king.
He simply asked God to take care of the matter.
Application: When Voices of Criticism rise against you, choose to respond with kindness and grace. Let God be God. Let Him take care of His business. He can and will administer perfect justice. You minister grace.
Consider what 1 Peter 2:23 says of Christ when He was on trial,
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
There are times when it is appropriate defend your name or your cause, but don’t let your defense become a platform for attack. Speak the truth and be kind in your words and disposition.
Criticism is not an excuse to pause your Christianity.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
That is what Nehemiah chose to do here. Thirdly…
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He didn’t internalize the criticism; he deflected it - Nehemiah 4:5
I think it was Dr. Beal who recently said from this pulpit that words are powerful things. They may not break a bone but they can sure cut the heart.
When others criticize you, you might not lash out, and you might not turn to others, but you might do a third thing: you’ll internalize that criticism and it will burn in your soul.
Child of God, when you are criticized for doing the right thing or for behaving in a Christlike manner, don’t internalize that criticism; deflect it to the Lord.
Read Nehemiah 4:5.
Nehemiah realized something that was very liberating: this criticism wasn’t about him. This wasn’t about his reputation. This wasn’t even about the people of God. This was about something far more important: the glory of God. This criticism was against the Lord because this was the Lord’s work.
“they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.”
Application: When Voices Of Criticism attack us for doing the right thing, we often go into a defense mechanism. We get tunnel vision and all we can think about is ourselves. All that matters to us at that moment is how they treated us and how much they hurt us, when in reality we don’t need to bear that burden. It’s the Lord’s problem, not ours. Don’t bear a burden that isn’t yours. Cast it upon the Lord and He will sustain you.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I say again to you today, we all know what its like to be unfairly criticized. What is more difficult is knowing how to handle it.
Usually, to get the criticism to stop is very simple: just quit. That’s all you got to do. That’s all Nehemiah would have had to do: pack his bags and head home to Shushan the palace. Instead of quitting and instead of attacking. Follow Nehemiah’s example. Bring it to the Lord when you begin to hear the Voices of Criticism.
Invitation
Invitation
Develop specific points here:
