Recently, I ran across two accounts of major church movement leaders reacting to their critics. One wrote a letter in which he pointed out the unfairness he had suffered from all of his critics. Most of whom have been Christians.
The other leader lashed out at a Christian reporter who criticized his handling of a matter. Their comments have continued back and forth.
No doubt, both leaders have been hurt by their critics’ attacks. And sadly, both have defended themselves out of inner hurts and wounds from all of their past battles with critics.
A friend of the letter writing leader posted the letter on his blog and asked for comments. What did people think?
I commented this way:
I’ve always admired the way Kenneth Hagin handled his unmercifully cruel critics when reporters called him for a reply to a book or magazine article that lambasted him or his ministry. His standard reply was, “No comment. God bless them.”
Isn’t this the way Jesus handled his critics?
What do you think happened to my comment shortly after it was posted? If you guessed it was deleted in a New York second, bingo! Go to the front of the class.
Admittedly, I disagree with some of that church leader’s positions, but I would have given the same comment to Honey, our children and everyone. Why?
If you have a calling to pioneer a new revelation and truth to the Body of Christ, guess what? You will have critics… lots of them. Some will be from your family. Some will be from your church family. Some will be your friends and neighbors. Some will just not like you for no reason at all. They will travel out of their way to beat on you like a drum. It will hurt. Count on it!
But within your calling is everything you will ever need to run the race Jesus has set before you. There will be enough grace, faith,finances, miracles and whatever to stand in the midst of every fiery furnace. And if that’s not enough, Jesus will invite you into His fellowship of suffering where He will heal all of your hurts and make you whole again…everyday if needed. It’s an open door.
So, make up your mind. Count the costs ahead of time. If it looks too tough, don’t pick up the baton for your calling. Let someone else run the race in your place. Just sit on the sidelines out of the way, keep quiet and don’t complain.
Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian jouneys.
Larry Who 
Makes sense to me.