The Sermon Story

"Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise" ( Proverbs 15:31 ). Criticism can sting, crush or harden us. It can also make us better. Much depends on how we receive it, and on what kind of critics we choose to become. These four stories about criticism, retold in our own words, look at both sides. Two are about people who were criticised: one turned the hurt into revenge, the other turned it into growth. Two are lighter stories about the kind of critic nobody wants to be. Each ends with a takeaway for preaching or reflection. Stories in this post: The Greatest Forger: When Criticism Turns Into Revenge Ole Bull: The Violinist Who Asked His Critic for Help "Not Much of a Dog": The Critic Who Cannot Be Pleased The Complaining Monk: Two Words a Year ──────── ✝ ──────── The Greatest Forger: When Criticism Turns Into Revenge This is a true story. We have corrected one detail from the version often told: the painting sold to the Nazis was not The ...

Complaining is one of the most socially acceptable sins there is. We grumble about the weather, the traffic, the queue and the price of bread, and nobody thinks twice. Yet Paul writes, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure" ( Philippians 2:14 to 15 ). He seems to think it matters more than we do. This story about complaining, retold in our own words, comes from the American poet and memoirist Maya Angelou, who learned a lifelong lesson about it from her grandmother behind the counter of a small country store. It ends with a takeaway you can use in a sermon or in your own daily habits. Story in this post: "Don't Complain": A Lesson From Maya Angelou's Grandmother ──────── ✝ ──────── "Don't Complain": A Lesson From Maya Angelou's Grandmother Maya Angelou , the celebrated author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , had a deeply painful childhood. But one stretch of it brought stability and calm...