Everyone's a Critic

Part of my job involves producing various publications for our office. I do a lot of the writing, graphic design, and editing, which can be equal parts fun and nervewracking at times. Most of the time, I do enjoy it.

I work with someone who I'll refer to as the Office Critic (O.C.). Lately, whenever I've cranked out one of our newsletters, the O.C. has bounded into my office and pointed out all the typos they found. Of course, this is after the newsletter has been printed and distributed, thus rendering their criticisms a tad too late.

It happened again today. O.C. took great delight in showing me a couple of misspelled words in the latest employee newsletter. Apparently I forgot to run spellcheck on one particular article, and today I was paying the price for it by way of O.C.

I've offered to let O.C. proofread the publications before they're printed (I already have three other staffers who regularly proofread my materials), but they don't want to do that.

Deep down, I know that the O.C. thinks that they're being funny and that they don't intend to hurt me. But I do take a lot of pride in my work, and it's embarrassing and annoying to have mistakes pointed out, especially in earshot of the rest of the office staff. Sure, everyone makes mistakes in their jobs. Mine just happen to be a little more public than others, due to the nature of my work.

I've been sorely tempted to wait til O.C. makes some mistake in their work and jump at the opportunity to rub it in their face. Of course, that's not the Christian thing to do. We're called to be salt and light, which is NOT the same as rubbing salt in the wounds. O.C. is not a Christian, so my reaction has to be weighed carefully. It is difficult, however, to act graciously in the face of criticism sometimes.

I am further reminded that I too am a critic, sometimes quite vocally. How often do I criticize God, who never makes mistakes, just because I do not like what He's doing in my life or I feel like He's being slow in bringing a prayer request to fruition? I am sometimes quick to jump on God's case about what He's doing. How thankful I am that He is everlasting graciousness in the face of extreme, and definitely unwarranted, criticism.

Maybe God's using O.C. to remind me to resist the urge to criticize others, especially Himself. I do think that I will seriously ask O.C. to either help with proofreading from now on or else to refrain from criticizing my work.