When your adversaries take amateur character, how do you respond?

Are you tempted to lash out in retaliation, or do you crumble in defeat?

Well, today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall offers a modern sanctuary for anyone who's weathering storms

of criticism. His model is Paul the Apostle. While on his missionary journeys, Paul was targeted

by smug religious zealots. His response to their attacks provides a master class on responding

with grace and grit. Let's pick up the story now in the Book of Acts.

Chuck titled his message,

Dealing with Critics as Paul did.

Paul steps up.

His words are brief and to the point, and this begins the first of seven ways he handled criticism. Let me give you the first one. He refused to be caught up in the emotion of the charges. Write that down. That's the first mistake we usually make.

He refused to be caught up to get caught up in the emotion of the charges.

He says, I cheerfully make my defense.

Since you can take note of the fact that no more than 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. The second

thing he does, he stayed with the facts. He stayed with the facts. He said, you can check my record

12 days ago. I went up to worship.

You can ask those who were there.

Neither in the temple nor in the synagogues nor in the city did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot.

He just spelling out the facts.

One, two, three.

He stayed with the facts, verses 11 and 12. Here's the third.

He told the truth with a clear conscience, verses 13 to 16.

And operating from a clear conscience, he tells the truth.

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