Mikebefore they even heard the full story. What is a leader to do in the face of criticism? Here are five simple things to keep in mind:
- No one is above criticism. If it can happen to Peter, after he obeyed the direct leading of the Holy Spirit, it can happen to you.
- Criticism doesn’t mean that you’ve done the wrong thing. Peter certainly did the right thing, regardless of the number of critics or the volume of their complaints. You should consider whether your critics have a legitimate point, but don’t back down just to appease them.
- Critics may only know part of the truth. Peter was accused before he had a chance to describe the powerful manifestation of the Spirit among the Gentiles. In our society, there is an even greater tendency to rush to judgment based on incomplete information.
- The presenting issue is rarely the real issue. Peter was criticized for eating with Gentiles, but the real issue was whether someone had to follow Jewish laws to be a Christian (and perhaps even deeper issues of control and power). Rather than reacting to what your critics say, try to get to the root issue.
- Sometimes critics can be turned. Scripture says that after the critics heard Peter’s explanation, “They had no further objections and praised God” (Acts 11:18). Try to work with your critics, rather than painting them as demons, and you may be surprised at the outcome.
