In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley.

Next on In Touch, how to handle criticism and praise.

All of us enjoy being praised by someone who praises us sincerely, but when it comes to criticism, we're not quite so delightful to hear that.

And so when we think in terms of praise and criticism, the truth is all of our life, we're going to get some of both.

Sometimes a whole lot of one, not much of the other.

And oftentimes our judgment of the praise of the criticism

is a result of where we think it comes from. For example, sometimes it's from other people,

maybe family, friends, people you work with, whatever it might be. Sometimes that criticism

is to be found in the origin of it right on the inside of us. Somehow we criticize ourselves.

On the other hand, sometimes we praise ourselves. But to go beyond that, oftentimes we feel

like God is the one who's criticizing us, or maybe every once in a while, maybe God may praise

us.

But criticism and praise are two things we have to learn how to live with.

And so if you'll think about how awesome these two emotions are,

that both of them are powerful emotions making a tremendous effect upon our life.

If you and I respond in the right way to criticism, it'll develop us.

If we respond in the wrong way, it can destroy us. So it is also with praise. If we respond in the right way, it can inspire us and motivate us. If we respond in the wrong way, it too can

destroy us. So what I'm going to talk about in this message is how to handle

criticism and praise. And I want you to turn to the book of Proverbs, if you will, and if you'll turn

to the 15th chapter, and the 22nd verse says, without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with

many counselors, they succeed. Then if you'll turn to the 27th chapter,

and I want you to notice here in the second verse of this 27th chapter, the scripture says,

...