We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift (2 Corinthians 8:20 NIV).

Lets face it, who wants to be around censure-givers of the census-takers of our misdeeds! I personally think that God set up families so that our relatives could keep us in line. Those who dont know us dont care and our friends are gracious enough to overlook our pick-a-dillies (versus pick-a-lily!).

I was at a friends house one day and noticed a book titled COPING WITH CRITICISM by Jamie Buckingham (1978, Logos Int.). Since my family has told me over the years about how sensitive I am, I decided to read the book. In it there is an interesting list that compares our feelings with the fruit of the Spirit:

HOW IT IS: HOW IT SHOULD BE:
anger.....................................love
hate.......................................joy
resentment............................patience
depression............................kindness
fear..................................goodness
frustration..............................faith
hurt................................gentleness
disappointment....................self-control
brashness.........................gratefulness
false humility.........................honesty

Mr. Buckingham warns, "Criticism, the kind that devastates, often causes us to drop our eyes from our final destination and become entangled with temporal matters along the way...Every six months we need to ... list all the attitudes we exhibit when we are criticized ... (p.88.).

Yes indeed, we want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer anything! But when I read the Gospels I find that Jesus was criticized by just about everyone for just about anything. The poor Man couldn't win. So ... Father, please give me a sensitive heart for others but take away the other kind!