I’ll be the first to admit it: I don’t like criticism, but at the same time I love it. I hate contradictions to what I believe, but I also love how iron sharpens iron, and there’s never a consistency of disbelief. Contradiction and criticism allow us to look within and see where we need to examine our belief system and understand the deeper meanings of who we are. Yet, we are afraid, I am afraid of this because it means it is time to grow.

What I’ve Noticed

It’s not that hard to see that we all struggle with criticism and taking a second look at ourselves. At times, it seems that we think ourselves immutable. That simply isn’t the case. I could talk about endless sexualities, orientations, and more. Hell, let’s jump into political opinions. We almost beg for someone to question us so that we can scream what it is that we “are”. And I do mean scream. At times we are looking for the reason to support someone like a reel I saw this morning talking about supporting the voices of black women (which have been supported since the removal of slavery and welcoming of all women to add their voices to the consistent discussion of women’s rights).

If people read, if people understood what it was that they were actually standing for they would understand that they are a part of a long fight that began many years ago and one that I intend to teach to my children with books such as Our Nig to teach them the grotesque history of our country.

But in many ways, that’s beside the point as I look at the slave narratives I studied in undergrad and grad school.

The problem that we have is that we are afraid of something that contradicts what we say, at this point, there is nothing that we aren’t afraid of because we have tied our identities to everything that we believe. Because of this we no longer believe in positive discussion or the discussion of ideas.

So What Do We Do?

I guess the first thing to even touch on is freedom of speech. It means you can say whatever you want and be an asshole … but should you be that asshole? In my understanding, here is where we get caught up in the rights and privileges of people. We have the right to say everything and anything we want but in the process how many people are you hurting? How many people are you not considering? This doesn’t mean you silence yourself. It does mean, that, as is taught in scripture, you are mindful (see the writings of Paul) of what you say so that you do not make your brethren fall.

Another part of this is even speaking to the right audience. If you are speaking to people who have either a) no idea what you are talking about or b) don’t agree with you, then you are casting your words before people who aren’t going to understand at all. Is that fair to them? To you?

Here’s the big part of it all, discussion, communication, talking to one another takes time. It takes getting to one another and not just speaking so that your opinion is heard. In some ways, this means respect one another in what you say and what you write. Yes, voice your opinion, but don’t destroy another person because of what you believe. That’s not the goal.

But My Opinion is Right

No.

No it’s not. Have you allowed yourself to read the knowledge of many other people? Have you taken the time to listen to others and their testimonies? Instagram, YouTube, and more do not count. Why? It removes the personal testimony. Some testimonies are something that we may relate with but that doesn’t equivocate to truth. At the very same time, these are truths for individual people and we must sus out the truth for ourselves. As a Christian my truth is that of Jesus Christ and the Father and how they have given us this world to dance within. That may not be your truth and that is where criticism comes into play! Yes!

Criticism is powerful. It is something that changes minds, changes the world, changes countries, I could keep going. It makes you think rather than just sit there and accept what it is that you have written or thought.

How Do I Accept Criticism?

Ooof. That’s a hard one to explain of even try to work through. There are a few steps that I find that help:

• Write down the criticisim
• Meditate on what the criticism makes you feel and want to adjust in your own life.
• Apply the criticism to your life and see what changes

Criticism from the most loving of places helps you change in ways that you never thought possible. Criticism from the most difficult of places will challenge you the most and make you think the most about how you face your life. Stay calm, understand that criticism can change you in the most positive of wats, and move forward.

What do you think of criticism?

How do you react? How do you want to reazct?

Thanks for the read and let’s keep up the community discussion!