PROVERBS 13

Proverbs 13:18
"If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored."

Let’s be honest—no one likes to be criticized. It’s tough to swallow our pride and admit we need to make some changes. But often, that’s the only way we grow.

Some people hand out criticism freely, while others hold back. Think about it: a lot of companies offer incentives just to get people to leave a review. Why? Because feedback helps them get better. In the same way, the best way to grow into a better version of yourself is to invite honest feedback.

Sometimes, criticism comes through formal settings—like a yearly or monthly review at work. Other times, it comes from friends or family at home. But at the end of the day, what really matters is how you respond to it. Are you willing to listen and grow? Or are you going to brush it off and stay the same?

I used to own a small business, and I got all kinds of feedback—both solicited and unsolicited. Some of it was hard to hear. But I learned to filter what was said based on who was saying it and what their experience was. Even still, I always listened and made tweaks when needed. I’ll never forget my first employee—he gave me honest feedback about how I was leading. I had to humble myself and make adjustments. Honestly, that feedback is part of why the business succeeded. If I had ignored it, I’m convinced it would’ve failed years ago.

The same is true in life. We have to be willing to hear the hard stuff and ask ourselves: Will I work on what needs fixing? Or will I let my pride keep me stuck where I am?

As a dad to young kids, I even get “criticism” from my 3-year-old. If I raise my voice, he’ll say, “My daycare teacher says no yelling.” And you know what? He’s not wrong. Sometimes God uses even the youngest voices to help shape us.

So here’s the challenge: Don’t dismiss the criticism. Filter it, yes—but don’t let pride filter out what actually needs to change. We all want to be better. And small adjustments now can lead to big growth over time.

Accept the correction. It leads to honor.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for criticism. Thank you for the people we have in our lives to help make us better. We pray that we can swallow our pride and accept the correction. Whether it is at work, home, or with friends. We pray that you fill our hearts with thankfulness and love because we know our people are not trying to hurt us. We know they are trying to help us. We pray you use whoever you need to reach us. We love you Jesus. show us where we can better ourselves this week. In Jesus name, Amen.