Criticism

The month of November has been a full month. I am in the middle of a long-term assignment in the classroom and I have begun basketball. I am the seventh grade coach at Union Middle School and it has been an interesting experience so far. I have had the opportunity for a week or so to have our practice from 6:00 a.m. until 7:40 a.m. and then attend the varsity/jv practice from 3:15 until 6:00 p.m. This made for some long days, but they were very informative.

I always thought of myself as a person who knew a bit about basketball. I played, a little. I coached, a little. I have also officiated the game. I must confess, though, that I didn't really know the game, at least not like now. I still am far from proficient (I feel confident that the parents of the 7th grade Wildcats will remind me of this shortly), but I do see the game differently. Man to man defense is much more than just staying between your man and the basket. The "help line," "deny position" and "close out" are vital to insuring good, solid defense.

People who have played the game may recognize those terms, but I'm sure that there are many fans that have not analyzed the "help line" and "sinking down" to help. Why am I bringing up all of this? As a fan, I used to think I could watch a game and criticize a player or a coach for what was happening on the floor or field. I used to gripe that "so and so" got beat on a play or that "so and so" was out of position. I don't think I'll do that anymore. There is a whole lot to the game that I, as a fan, don't see or really understand.

The same is true with the church. I am convinced that a lot of people in the church criticize that about which they really know very little. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you." Just prior to that he noted, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths , but only what is helpful for building others uup according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29). The directive for Christians is to use words to build up and to enrich. Too many times, though, words are used to tear down and destroy.

Let me be clear. There is an accountability structure and we are all accountable to God. Having said that, though, there are a whole lot of church folk that criticize and tear up that about which they know very little. As I am now on a "sabbatical," I can ask some of these questions. "How is it that you, elder, who has never ran a youth group or taught kids a lesson, have become an expert on what the youth minister should be doing?" You don't know. "How is it that you, deacon, who have never tried to work and have the Lord grow a church through your leadership, can comment on whether or not a minister is able to do that?" You really can't. So, my inquiry is, why do we do it? Let's stop. Unless I am really qualified to oversee, my role is to support, encourage and ask questions. Too many churches are torn up by those who see their role as "chief critic." I believe that the church doesn't need that position filled.

I will do my best this season to coach the 7th grade Wildcats. I know that I have much to learn. I will take every opportunity I can to learn what I can. I will also be much more hesitant to criticize others on the athletic field, coaches and players. Bill Self, Bill Snyder, Mark Mangino, Gary Pinkel, Mike Anderson and a host of others know a great deal more than I do. I will try to support and encourage. You might try that in church, too. Thanks for reading...