To Find Fault Is Easy…and Cowardly

Plutarch noted that, “To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.”

Life Imitating Sports

A recent sports’ situation illustrates this well. As many of you know, I am a big-time Chicago Bears’ fan. Da Bears starting QB, Jay Cutler, is often viciously criticized by the media and fans. It always strikes me as ironic and sad that folks who never played sports at a high level of accomplishment rip into the highest level athletes in the world… 

Cutler is hurt and his backup has not produced. Cutler is now being appreciated in hindsight.

Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network suggests that Cutler would have been worthy of MVP consideration for the job he was doing in overcoming the inadequacies of the Bears’ offense.

“I talked about Jay Cutler possibly being the MVP candidate because he was doing things to cover up the sins of the offensive line,” Lombardi told The Mully and Hanley Show on WSCR-AM 670. “Now with Caleb Hanie and other players you can’t cover up those sins. They can’t do that because the offensive line gets exposed. Everybody was talking about how the line was playing better. No, no, no, no, in reality the line wasn’t playing better, Cutler was doing things in the pocket that were unique and he was making more plays. I really think that has now come to fruition. People understand that.” Back then everyone thought there was progress being made on the line. The Bears line is not good enough. It’s not quality enough to be able to go into the playoffs, unless the quarterback can do some things and I think obviously Cutler has been able too, but without Cutler there’s no go.”

Or, put in terms no one can misunderstand, Bears’ receiver Roy Williams said of Cutler, “It just goes back to, you don’t know how good you’ve got it, until it’s gone.”

What’s the Point? 

My point? The less significant point is that I’ve always thought Cutler was much better than folks gave him credit for.

My more significant point for Christian ministry: It’s easy to find fault. It’s much more difficult to do it as well or better!

Another way of putting it: be careful what you wish for. I all-too-frequently hear folks say about a pastor, or a professor, or a ministry leader, “Things would be so much better if So-and-So” would leave!”

Really? Seriously?

Have you tried to help “Mr. So-and-So?”

Have you tried to walk a mile in “Pastor So-and-So’s shoes?”

How accomplished are you at doing what “Professor So-and-So” does?

Have you offered any constructive, practical, real-world counsel to “Ministry Director So-and-So”?

Just so you know, this is not personal. I’m not having anyone question my leadership. I’m just tired of the professional critic.

I grow especially weary at the professional critic who:

• Has never done it himself.

• Has never earned the right to provide constructive feedback by developing a trusting, helpful relationship with the person being criticized. (If I read one more “open letter” from a stranger to a ministry leader, I just might scream.)

• Has no practical idea how a different person (or they them self) would do it any better.

Easy, Lazy, and Cowardly to Criticize; More Difficult and Courageous to Do

I think of what D. L. Moody said when he was questioned. “I like the way I’m doing it, better than the way you’re not doing it.”

I also like what Teddy Roosevelt has to say about critics in his speech (Citizenship in a Republic) at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910.

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

Powerful. Truthful.

Whether it’s Jay Cutler dodging defensive lineman to complete pin-point bullet passes, or a pastor preparing Christ-honoring sermons, or a professor teaching Gospel-centered lectures, or a ministry leader directing a biblical mission; I thank God for those actually in the arena.

I don’t have much time, or, frankly, respect, for the critic who never does it and who always complains about those who do.

I also don’t have much confidence that the critic, or anyone else, would do it half as well as the person they criticize and demand be replaced. To find fault is easy; to find or be a better replacement is difficult.

Join the Conversation 

Why do we expend so much time and energy criticizing those who do, instead of courageously doing something ourselves?