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Bishop B. Manjoro Dunamis
Last week we started looking at criticism, that is, how we can handle criticism when it’s thrown our way, be it at home, school, work or any place you find yourself. We read how the Lord Jesus Christ was criticised for healing a woman who was bound for 18 years on a Sabbath. Have you been facing criticism and wondering how do I handle this? This is your article, read on as we dig more in God’s word and learn from the Master.

“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity for 18 years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.

“And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day and said unto the people, ‘There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day’. The Lord then answered him, and said, ‘Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?’ And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” Luke 13:11-17

From our main text above we saw that Jesus got under fire by the Jewish leaders for healing on a Sabbath. Friend, it’s not only wrong things you are criticised for in life. You can be under fire for doing something right! But let it not wear you down or make your hopeless. Let it not make you abort your assignment! If Jesus had ran away when he was criticised and confronted for healing this woman what would have happened? There would have been no cross, no salvation and no Christians today! O hallelujah our Master didn’t give up, he faced the criticism and managed it! Don’t be managed or dictated to by situations, shake yourself and tell yourself “I am a child of the Most High God!” O hallelujah!

Jesus didn’t scare away. He asked them, “if you yourselves have an animal and it falls in the pit on a Sabbath will you leave it to die there or you will choose to do good and help the animal?” They couldn’t answer. He then said, “If you would help the animal, what then about this daughter of Abraham whom Satan has bound 18 years?” They couldn’t answer again.

Listen to me clearly friends, if you are to fulfil your purpose in life and amount to something — don’t listen to critics. For example, when I’m quiet who will say I’m doing discord? No-one! But the moment I begin to hum people will begin to say, “Ah ah that bishop also sings?” and some will say “Yes he sings, but the way he sings haaa, so so?” If you don’t want to be criticised do nothing. If you want people to be quiet and say nothing about you, find your own house build it, stay inside and never come out! But with my knowing people being people even though you are inside they will begin to talk, “ah this one always locking him/herself in the yard like that? That’s not normal. What is he hiding from?”

And if you decide okay let me begin to come out of my house and see other people and things outside my wall you hear the same people say “ah this one doesn’t stay at home, he is all over and no time to be at home.” Criticism will always come in life, it’s how you handle and manage it that matters! One day when we were building the church the roof suddenly collapsed. We thank God no one died or got hurt. But still people spoke — a lot of things. It was not a good time.

Others said, “Ah we told you how could he build such a big building for a church!” It was all over media that the roof of Pastor Manjoro’s church has fallen down! The journalist came into my office and said, “Eh Pastor we hear that the roof of the church has fallen down? What do you have to say Pastor?”

A million dollar question! But what was I to say? I pointed to the sky and said “Yes the roof has fallen down, but God is still up there!” That week I announced to our members that we will officially open the church that very year despite the setback! Surely the Lord gave us favour we worked hard and opened the church at the set time despite the setback. Don’t let criticism pull you down, rather let it fuel you more to fulfil your God-given dream and assignment. For with God all things are possible, Mark 10:27