"Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid." -Proverbs 12:1 NKJV
On November 25, 2019, the Philadelphia 76ers played the Toronto Raptors in Toronto. The 76ers lost 101-96. Despite having 13 rebounds, the 76ers best player, Joel Embiid, probably had his worst game as a NBA player with 0 points and 4 turnovers. He was 0-11 from the field, 0-4 from the three-point line, and 0-3 from the free throw line in 32 minutes of play. After, he received plenty of criticism for his lack of aggression and not using his 7’0, 280-pound frame to consistently dominate in the paint instead of taking a lot of perimeter shots (despite having the skill set to do so).
Two nights later, the 76ers played against the Sacramento Kings. Embiid bounced back with a 33 point, 16 rebound performance. He finished 10-19 from the field and 12-14 from the free throw line in 32 minutes.
On December 10, 2019, the Philadelphia 76ers played the Denver Nuggets, winning the game 97-92. Embiid finished this game with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. There are many who think that this stat line is phenomenal. There are also many who have played in the NBA and analyze the game of basketball for a living who truly believe that a person with Embiid’s ability and size should dominate on the basketball court with consistency and more scoring in the post. After the game on Inside the NBA, Hall of Famers Charles Barkley (former power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and Houston Rockets) and Shaquille O’Neal (former center for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and others) followed this sentiment. Shaq stated Embiid wasn’t playing well. Shaq wasn’t saying that in an envious or negative way, but he wanted to provide constructive criticism because he sees greatness in him. Shaquille O’ Neal was speaking from experience. He was widely recognized as the most dominant force in NBA history because of his size and agility. He also stated, “22 points is okay but it isn’t great; if you have the potential to be a great player, we expect great things.” Charles Barkley began talking about matchups and when it comes to huge matchups like it was that night between Joel Embiid and another great center who plays for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, he noted that Embiid needed to be ready to play and dominate.
After these critical comments, the media began to ask Embiid for his opinion on what Shaq and Barkley said. Embiid understood and respected what they were saying because they had already experienced playing basketball at a high level. He recognized that he needed to play better and with more consistency. Two nights later, Embiid led the 76ers to a huge win vs. Boston, 115-109. He responded to the criticism dominating inside and outside of the paint with 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. He finished 12-21 from the field and he played with a lot of aggression by shooting 14 free throws, making 12 of them.
One thing that we must realize is that there will be people who are going on hate on us because of the abilities that God has given us. They may be jealous how God has blessed us and want what we have. But there are also people that God has placed in our lives who pray for us and see greatness in us. Like Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, they see greatness in us and offer us constructive criticism because they love us and want to bring the best out of us.
Every day, God wants us to grow in our relationship with Him. The ways to do so is through prayer and reading and studying God’s word. As we grow in our relationship with God, we will begin recognizing who Jesus is and how He lived so that we can be more like Him. In order for us to truly grow in Jesus Christ, we must look at ourselves in the mirror and humbly and honestly evaluate our strengths and weaknesses. In addition, we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. How can we truly grow in every area of life if we don’t humble ourselves enough to recognize and evaluate the areas where we are weak or strong?
As we honestly self-evaluate, we shouldn’t take offense to the criticism given by others. Rather, criticism should confirm what the Holy Spirit has already said. Please be sure to use discernment on what criticism/encouragement is from God. If it is negative feedback, the enemy may also be trying to use certain people to give you as a form of discouragement or to cause you to think negatively about yourself. 1 John 4:1 encourages us to “test the spirit by the spirit and see if it is of God.”
There are many times when God will allow certain things to happen in our lives as a form of discipline. God disciplines us because He loves us, He wants us to draw close to Him and grow in Him, and He knows what is best for us.
How do we respond to criticism? Walk in humility, use discernment, and grow. Most importantly, grow in God.