We have before us in this text Apollo who was very accomplished and capable. His background included that he was a Jew. Nevertheless, he was a Jew who was deeply knowledgeable in the Scriptures. It was his ambition to deliver the Word of God to as many people as possible. He was sincere. He was devout. However, when Aquila and Priscilla heard him speak in the synagogue, they discovered an area of his knowledge that needed to be expanded if he was truly going to serve the Lord wholeheartedly.
The lesson learned from this Scripture is that none of us are above learning more about the Lord and the Bible. Every single one of us, no matter how much education we have or experience, can always benefit from someone who would add to our knowledge. When that someone does it in the right spirit for the right reason, we should accept what’s being told us as constructive criticism that would advance our standing with the Lord.
There is a major difference between constructive criticism and criticism. It depends on the intent of the critic, the content of the criticism, and the motivation for offering the criticism. In some cases, even those who have been attending church for a long time could come across in the wrong way. Remember that we are supposed to be kind one to another. At no time should the person with superior knowledge do it in such a way to elevate his ego while at the same time pushing someone else down.
The person receiving the criticism must remind himself that there could be truth in what’s being said even if it was given with ill intent. Guidance can best be derived from the person that is opposing one’s position. Take to heart the information, not the gruesome assumption of the person speaking the words. In both cases the two people must be gentle while being guided by the Holy Spirit. On the receiving end the person who is told something involving correction should receive what is offered as a step up in knowledge or experience. It highly likely it could be that the person offering the criticism is one of the best supporters.
The Christmas season is a good example of a time in which corrections and criticism can be offered. It is not a matter for he who is more knowledgeable to lord it over someone who could take the information as being humiliated. There is so much about the Christmas season and the birth of Christ that we all could benefit. One area is the actual location of the manger. Was it a barn? Was it a cave? Was it a lean to? Was it a different kind of shelter? No one knows exactly. A person who studies Scriptures and history for a long time might have a distinct opinion about this. He must be careful to share his knowledge in such a way that he’s being used by God to edify others.
A modern example could be the war on Christmas itself. Believers must be careful not to appear attacking for the correction of others about observing the birth of Jesus. Throughout the year let us each demonstrate the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that when we find the need to criticize another person it can be offered and received as God would want it.
Christian Writer 