Learning on the Way
Read over and meditate on Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 13:10, Proverbs 17:10, Proverbs 13:13, Proverbs 9:9, Proverbs 15:32, Psalm 141:5, Proverbs 15:1. How have they convicted, instructed, or encouraged you so far this week?
Where has weighing and accepting criticism allowed you to grow in your spiritual life? Where has immediately rejecting criticism hindered your spiritual growth in the past? Where are you now? Do you tend to accept or reject truthful criticism?
How does understanding God’s ultimate criticism encourage you? Where have you failed in interpreting criticism in light of the cross? How can you do better interpreting criticism in light of the cross? How does the truth of what Christ has done for you on the cross give you hope when you are correctly criticized?
Do you believe those who criticize you are ultimately sent by God? Why or why not? How does recognizing criticisms as Gods messengers to help you grow inform the way you receive criticisms? How does it inform when you give criticism?
Talk about an example of how a failure to handle criticism created more problems on your life.