Criticism

I hate to admit it, but what people think about me really matters to me. So, when people criticise me, it hurts. Now, I know without any hesitation that some of the criticism I get is well deserved- in fact, it is probably not that hard to find faults in who I am and what I do. There are times that I am very appreciative of constructive criticism if I know and understand the heart of the one who gives it, but most of the time, that is not the case. Typically, though, I can be alone, think about it and accept it as constructive.

Sometimes, however, the criticism is ridiculous, rude, and unnecessary. For example, I am growing a beard, I don't know if I am going to keep it or not, just experiementing. Last night, someone told me that I look horrible and should shave it off immediately. My response was simply, "I am trying to look more like Jesus." That was not what I wanted to say, but those were the words that came out.

The question then is this- how should we, as followers of Christ, respond to critics?
Let me know what you think.

A New Office= Big Change

For seven years, I have used the same space for my office. A space that has been comfortable, convenient, and a consistent part of my life week after week after week. Last Thursday, I moved upstairs, directly above my old office to a new room that will be my home away from home. In the process of this move, I have discovered several things about myself and about life.
First of all, I have realized that deep down I must be a slob. After seven years of storing, filing, and stuffing things in my office, I discovered that in that time span, one can create a huge mess, or at least I can. It was embarrassing to see all of the trash bags that I filled with things that should have been discarded years ago. I even found some chocolate golf balls (yes, I said chocolate golf balls) that were at least 6 years old. I have no idea why I was saving them, because normally they would not have lasted 6 minutes.
Secondly, I have been reminded that life is a trade-off. My new office is great in many ways. It is larger than the old one. It is brightly painted and cheery. In fact one of the walls is my favorite color- orange. It is also amazingly quiet and allows me plenty of time for deep reflection, uninterupted prayer time, and focus. On the other hand, my new office is like being in an isolation booth- it is almost creepy at times. Thus far, I treasure the moments when people come to see me- quite unusual for an INTJ. I no longer have a private rest room, and I can already tell that I am eventually going to dread walking up and down the stairs. Life really is a trade-off.
Thirdly, I have been reminded that staying the same is much easier than change. Not better, just easier. I guess that is why it is so hard for us to gravitate toward something new-we become incredibly comfortable with what we know and with what is familiar.
So, if you have a chance, come by and check it out- I would enjoy the company.