When our kids were growing up, we would correct them when they called one another stupid. You probably do the same thing. So, I was surprised to find out that God calls us stupid when we act a certain way. That’s a pretty harsh criticism when you realize the word translated stupid comes from a word meaning “to graze.” One who acts this way is like an ignorant animal, as the old saying goes, “dumb as an ox.” So, what is it we do that would cause God to call us “stupid”? And what does it have to do with what the cross says about us? Check out today’s post to find out.
Welcome, to “God’s Word Day by Day” where I blog through the Bible in a Year. I hope you’ll join me every day. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here or subscribe on YouTube.
And speaking of YouTube, be sure to check out the new discipleship videos on the channel.
Today’s Readings:
Numbers 31 & 32
Psalm 35.1-8
Proverbs 12.1
Mark 14.55-72
God’s Criticism at the Cross
Proverbs 12.1:
Not a Flattering Picture
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
As I said in the introduction, the word translated as stupid comes from a word meaning “to graze.” One who hates to be corrected is unteachable like a grazing animal.
I’m thankful for cows and other grazing animals. I like milk and sour cream and cream for my coffee. But when I think of cows, I don’t think about their intelligence. So when God says we are like a cow or an ox, it’s not a very flattering picture.
Teaching and correction are part of God’s means of grace to help us grow and mature as believers. A refusal to accept correction reveals an attitude of pride and as this verse says, it’s stupid of us.
Why Instruction & Criticism Are Hard to Take
But instruction can be hard to take, even when it’s meant to be helpful. More so when it seems unfair.
When we’re criticized, we can quickly become defensive. We often feel like something much bigger is at stake, our reputation. We can be so convinced of the need to prove ourselves right in the eyes of others that we’re willing to damage relationships to do so (Jas. 4.1-4). That reveals a desire that has become idolatrous.
Alfred Poirier says:
In short, our idolatrous desire to justify ourselves fuels our inability to take criticism, which, in turn, is the cause for much conflict. It is the reason that many marriages and family members split, factions form, and relationships grow cold. And it is the reason we so desperately need the direction provided in Scripture to begin forming a redemptive, God-ward view of criticism.
Proverbs repeatedly shows us the importance of being able to receive rebuke, correction, and criticism.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning (Prov. 9.9).The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise (Prov. 12.15).By pride comes nothing but strife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom (Prov. 13.10).He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding (Prov. 15.32).Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool (Prov. 17.10).
And in Psalm 141.5 David said:
Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.
Is that how you respond to criticism? I know I don’t always. I fight the tendency to respond like a stupid ox! And lately, God has given me some excellent opportunities to see just how much of that tendency I still have!
What God Said at the Cross
So how can I (and possibly some of you) become more like David? The answer is in understanding just what God said about us at the Cross.
At the Cross, God criticized, in fact, judged us as sinners whose only just punishment was death (Rom. 3.10-18, 23, 6.23). Quoting Alfred Poirier again:
In light of these massive charges against us, any accusations launched at us are mere understatements about who we are and what we’ve done!
To claim to be a Christian is to claim to be a person who has understood criticism. The Christian is a person who has stood under the greatest criticism–God’s criticism–and agreed with it! As people who have been “crucified with Christ,” we acknowledge, agree, and approve of God’s judgments against us. We confess, “I am a Sinner! I am a Lawbreaker! I deserve death!” Do you see how radical a confession that is?
But the good news is that God has not only judged us, He has also justified us. When we realize that it’s not about our righteousness. We don’t have to boast or defend our goodness or performance. Now we boast in Christ’s righteousness.
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1.30-31).
And instead of becoming defensive when criticized, the wise realize there is value in it. Remember what David said, “Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness.” Those who “love instruction” and submit themselves to correction are cooperating with God’s means of grace. They are able to learn from the wisdom of others, instead of suffering the consequences of foolishness and poor choices.
If we remember we’re sinners, we can accept the fact that we have blind spots, and even when criticism is unjust, we can look for what God might be teaching us or exposing in our hearts. All criticism, ultimately, comes from the hand of our Sovereign God.
So, how do we get there?
How Do We Get There?
First, we need to look honestly at our responses to criticism. Do we pout, shift blame, point out the other person’s flaws, or go on the attack? Or are we able to accept criticism and correction?
Second, we need to pray and ask God to give us the desire to be wise instead of foolish.
Third, we need to focus on the cross. How can we say we agree with the criticism of the cross if we can’t accept the criticism of others? If we believe we have to justify ourselves, how can we say we believe God has already justified us? Even when criticism is unfair or untrue, we can remember our Savior and seek to become more and more like Him. He was the only sinless man, yet when they crucified Him, He prayed, “Father, forgive them!” And as Peter said:
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (2 Pet. 2.21-23 ESV).
One More Takeaway
There is one more crucial truth we need to take away. As we understand our own struggles with criticism, it should make us more aware of how we give criticism. Even the most loving criticism is sometimes hard to receive, so that should help us to be merciful and kind when we need to correct others.
May God help us to have a teachable spirit and drive us to the cross and a deeper appreciation for the gospel.
Today’s Other Readings:
Numbers 31 & 32:
The War Rages On
Here in chapter 31, God ordered the destruction of a nation by ordering the killing of all the males and women of childbearing age. This would prevent them from becoming a nation again and trying to curse Israel as they did with Balaam (Num. 22-24).
It would, also, prevent them from drawing the Israelites into idolatry and sexual immorality as they did in Numbers 25. The Israelites who had participated in those acts had already been put to death and now Divine justice was carried out on the adulteresses themselves and the ungodly nation as a whole.
It’s hard to read some of these Old Testament passages without a clear understanding
of God and His essential goodness. The Scripture says, “… God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn. 1.5). There is no evil in God. What He declares is always right.
It’s a War
We must also remember that there has been a war going on since the Garden of Eden. Satan has been trying to destroy the Seed of the woman and God has been protecting His godly line and carrying out His plan to save all those who would eventually trust in Him. Throughout the Old Testament and the New, we see the effects of that war.
The Book of Esther shows us what happens when God’s commands in this area are not carried out. It tells the story of one man, Haman, a descendant of Agag, king of a tribe God had commanded King Saul to destroy. Saul disobeyed God and allowed some of them to remain alive. In the Book of Esther, their descendant Haman tried to wipe out all the Jews living in Persia.
That battle still rages as Satan tries to prevent the seed of God’s Word from being implanted in the hearts of those who are not saved. And with those of us who are, He does all He can to keep us focused on ourselves, in strife with others, or caught up in the affairs of this life, so we’ll be unfruitful for the Kingdom of God.
Your Sin Will Find You Out
One last thought from our Old Testament reading, there’s a great verse in chapter 32:
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out (v. 23).
Moses was addressing the tribes of Reuben and Gad concerning their intention to help their brothers conquer the Promised Land, but it is a universal truth. When we try to cover our sins, God uncovers them, but when we confess and forsake them, God in His mercy covers them (Prov. 28.13).
Psalm 35.1-8:
The Weapons of Our Warfare
In this Psalm, David asks for God’s intervention and help.
2 Corinthians 10.4-5 says:
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
And Ephesians 6.12 says:
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Like David, we, too, need to call on Divine help and let our weapons be spiritual ones: prayer and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6.17)!
Mark 14.55-72:
For Him or Against Him
Jesus had just been arrested and just as He predicted, everyone abandoned Him.
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered'” (Mk. 14.27)
But Peter had seen and heard too much truth to completely walk away.
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. 54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
But he wouldn’t remain anonymous for long.
66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”
68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.” 70 But he denied it again.
And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”
71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
Like Peter, we sometimes try to hang back and see what happens. We think we can be a believer without ever taking a stand. But sooner or later, we must declare, are we for Him or against Him?
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about blame shifting and how it hurts us, look at social and spiritual pollution, and a kind of rottenness that can infect our hearts. We’ll also look at parenting God’s way.
I hope you’ll join us and if this post spoke to you, please share it on your favorite social media platform.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
What Is Your Plan to Grow Spiritually This Year?
I hope you’re reading through the Bible with me or you have another reading plan in place. If not, you can sign up for my daily email or subscribe here for the YouTube version.
Following along with me can help you stay on track. And I believe you’ll benefit from the additional information I share and grow as you learn to apply God’s Word to your own life.
Another way that we grow in our Bible knowledge and our ability to share our faith is through discipleship.
Here’s our most recent discipleship lesson and below it, you’ll find today’s Bible in a Year video.
I hope you’ll join us and if this post spoke to you, please share it on your favorite social media platform.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
What Is Your Plan to Grow Spiritually This Year?
I hope you’re reading through the Bible with me or you have another reading plan in place. If not, you can sign up for my daily email or subscribe here for the YouTube version.
Following along with me can help you stay on track. And I believe you’ll benefit from the additional information I share and grow as you learn to apply God’s Word to your own life.
Another way that we grow in our Bible knowledge and our ability to share our faith is through discipleship.
Here’s our most recent discipleship lesson and below it, you’ll find today’s Bible in a Year video.
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