2 Samuel 16:5-14

1. Criticism is a universal experience, v. 5

Criticism is defined as any judgment made about you by another, which declares that you fall short of a particular standard.

-Alfred Poirier

1. Criticism is often times a veiled attempt at control, v. 5-6

2. Criticism is personal, v. 7-8

If you would like to get better at receiving criticism here are some questions to ask yourself…

• How do I typically react to correction?
• Do I pout when criticized or corrected?
• What is my first response when someone says I’m wrong?
• Am I overly noble when criticized?
• How well do I take advice?
• Are people able to approach me to correct me?
• Am I teachable?
• Do I harbor anger against the person who criticizes me?
• Do I immediately seek to defend myself?

• Can my spouse, parents, children, brothers, sisters or friends correct me?

• Criticism is an opportunity for self-evaluation, v. 9-13

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! Let a righteous man strike me- it is kindness; let him rebuke me- it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.” -Psalm 141:3-5

Two questions to ponder…

1) If I continually squirm under the criticism of others, how can I say I know and agree with the criticism of the cross?

2) If I typically justify myself, how can I say I know, love and cling to Gods justification of me through Christ’s cross?

1. Criticism reminds us of our humanity, v.14

v. 14- “And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.”

“And the king…”

“…and all the people who were with him…”-

“…arrived weary at the Jordan.”

“And there he refreshed himself."