A humble example from a critical old man …

Often when we hear someone say, “I’m my worst critic,” that statement doesn’t turn out to be true.

Truth be told, most of us aren’t naturally fond of, or comfortable with, being criticized, whether that criticism is constructive or not.

There are some who really are their worst critics, but in a negative, unhealthy way. They see themselves as perpetual failures who can never do anything right — this coming from faulty thinking or ugly faux humility.

And then, there are some wonderful examples of people who are mature enough, self-aware enough, and comfortable enough in their relationship with Christ that they really are their own critic, but in a very positive and healthy way.

Such an extraordinary example of this comes to us from the early church father and theologian, Augustine. After living 72 years and writing many books, letters, and treatises pertaining to the Christian faith, in the year 427 Augustine finally got around to a project he wanted to take up for some time — that of a new writing called “The Retractions,” wherein he would revisit and review all of his previous writings as his own critic.

Such an idea would be astounding today. You would be hard-pressed to find a modern popular pastor who is a prolific writer who would be willing to pen a new publication in which he would retract previous statements, writings, or positions preached. Most preachers, like most people, wouldn’t want to shine a spotlight on times in the past when they got something wrong, or at least, not quite right.

But Augustine did.

Now the fact is that in his “The Retractions” Augustine doesn’t really go about retracting previous writings as much as he does in clarifying his teaching on matters.

Who of us couldn’t stand to do that for ourselves?

I know several preachers, myself included, who have looked back over some of their earliest sermons and lessons … and winced! Not that they had preached heresy, but that they hadn’t been as fully biblically accurate or astute as their preaching and teaching is today, and is becoming. With maturing, they can see times when what they preached could be said in a way that’s better than what they first proclaimed.

All of us, regardless of any age, can look back in a similar way … even at the age of 18, we began to realize we were more foolish when we were younger teens. That 21-year-old begins to realize how immature that 18-year-old was. And turning 30 helps us see how we still had plenty to learn back in our twenties …

And so on.

Part of life is that as we learn, and have greater experience of study and living out our faith, and thereby mature, our knowledge broadens, our understanding deepens, we gain and apply wisdom, and from that new position can look back and see there are a few retractions we would make today. That is, if only we had the courage in Christ to do that.

Augustine did.

There are some who are so prideful they would never admit to having anything in their past they would retract, they stand unyielding on old positions, ideas, and beliefs. You cannot mature and move forward when you insist on being intractable about those times in life when you either got it wrong, or not fully right.

Augustine gives us an example of how a humble follower of Christ demonstrates maturing — we realize that as our knowledge broadens, our understanding deepens, and we more consistently apply wisdom to living, we’ll want to be self-critical to identify any times when we either got a few things wrong, or didn’t get them quite right fully, and offer a better position for what believe.

Such a humble example from a critical old man could be something we could all benefit in following. When was the last time you were your own honest critic? How has maturing brought you to a better understanding of the truth of God’s Word and how to live that out? What retractions would you make today from having grown in Christ?

Scotty