Dear lady who criticized me so inappropriately, unloving, spitefully, and unchristian-like,

Thank you. You made me stronger. You grew grit in me.

Forever Grateful,
Margie

Anyone who works in close collaboration with me knows I welcome constructive criticism. I’m not opposed to confrontation and hashing things out. I’m approachable. But, I’ll be honest, even constructive criticism stinks sometimes! Let alone, angry, mean criticism. That can just plain hurt.

Here’s the thing, grit grows, and it can grow into something hideous like a pebble in your shoe or something beautiful like a pearl around your neck. I recently preached a whole message on the life of a pearl. In the basest terms, it begins with a piece of grit. Studying for that message was an eye-opener for me. In fact, it was a life-changer for me. I hope to share more in future blogs.

I’ve always loved pearls, even when my friends called me “granny” for wearing them as a teenager. In fact, “Margie” means “pearl”! Well, it’s the medieval variant that means pearl; or the Persian name that means “Child of Light.” It can also mean, “she who laughs in the face of adversity.” All of that speaks of grit to me. I haven’t always had it, and I still find myself thin-skinned when it comes to certain things. But, not nearly as many things, thank God…. and thank the critics.

Whatever your name means in human terms, you have a name given by Abba. He calls us His own. That is comforting. I know my Daddy’s got me! I am His. My identity is wrapped up in Him, and no one else’s pretty (or ugly-acting) little head. Everyone has ideas about us, some are negative, and some are positive. A few people will voice those thoughts; it’s called criticism. We can allow them to shrink us or grow us.

So, when I received my first piece of hate mail as a married adult (we all had haters and drama as kids), I shrunk. At first. Three days later, I shook myself and got up. I decided I would not be manipulated or knocked down. I refused to fall back into a place of depression and give in to old insecurities. What I did right in that situation was PRAY. I entered into a time of soul searching again. It forced me to dig deep, drawing from the well of Living Water. It forced me to revisit forgiveness. “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Col. 3:13. He doesn’t say, “If they ask forgiveness, forgive.” He said, “Forgive.”

What came from that time? GRIT.

Thank the good Lord it didn’t grow a root of bitterness, rather, it grew grit. Be assured; something will grow from these times. How and what aspects you choose to cultivate and nurture will determine what springs up. Dwelling on the words and getting bitter, or on The Word and getting better; your choice. Choose grit.