As His Child Re: The Critic {a {serving up an abounding soul} post}

Because we all have them...
In our neighborhoods, workplaces, church pews, and maybe even inside our own homes.

Critics, making themselves such in their expectation, disappointment, disapproval, and questioning....

Whether voiced or implied; channeled directly or with not-so-subtle subtlety, it comes. 

We all have critics.

We have all been critics. 

Dreamt up in the deep recesses of God's infinite creating glory, 

we were intended for knowing and being known....

for needing and being perfectly met....

for beauty received and displayed through us like refracting mirrors under Infinite Light.
We were made for glory bright and lasting.

But broken and shattered by the sin inside, we took our design to reflect away from the light, and lining the shattered mirrors of our souls up toward each other, we desperately sought to reflect ourselves into and through others.
Rugged only meeting sharp, empty only meeting dark, and fractals fell jagged and dead.

This inward bent dies hard. Though purchased and sealed, our souls often return to what feels familiar...the rough, shattered places of seeking approval through the reflection of oneself in the esteem of another. 

Even if given, it holds no true glory light, and a soul will starve in the gray. 

It is in the gray that a critic is born, this starving reflection-less place can't help but pour out cold and ugly in a way that seeks to suck in all who will give it their gaze. 

Critic breeding critic, and souls hungering on for the reflection of glory they so desperately need. 

As His child.... Child of Living Hope, Everlasting Light, and Eternal Glory.... 

Who do I want to be to those whose voices call the gray of disapproval over me?

How do I chase light's freedom hard even as the former familiar calls?
How do I, rather than joining a critic, courageously radiate Glory's reflecting invitation back? 

1 Peter 3 tells me that there is a blessing to unwrap in a critic blessed. 

Though voices call to relent, or retreat or react, 

the soul bathed in True Light knows but one response.  

Those who soul-rest in The Light become the blessing, as reflecting through our mended-strong mirrored edges, The Very Light Himself, leans though us into our critic's splintered gray places. 

Verse 8-9 dazzle this reflection into our minds:

Unity of Mind ~ undivided; free of desire for the critic's esteem. Pre-approved by Christ!

Sympathy ~ able to see, feel, and respect the heart of a critic's real need.

Brotherly {or sisterly} Love~ Desire for their best at cost to personal comfort.
Tender Heart ~ Soft in word, action, and filled with hope.
Humble Minded ~ teachable, a student of others, and aware of personal fallibility.

This is the lean of Grace's light into a critic's gray.

All of my edges once roughly jagged from self's inward bent, now pulled tight and sealed by The Spirit's full approval...  

My fearless soul; a mirror awash with unhindered glory like a million twinkling stars falling from a million golden suns, beckoning, calling, comforting, declaring real Light's hope! 

We all have 'em.... critics.
We all have the ability to be one.

So Dear Reader of this place, 

May we sit at rest awash in the only Light able to fill the panes of our souls with glory. 

May we be so full in our facing of True Light that only His beams of blessing reflect.

May we unwrap the blessing of a critic loved well.

"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, 

a tender heart, and a humble mind. 

Do not repay evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, 

but on the contrary, bless...

For to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing." 

1 Peter 3:8-9