IGNORE THE CRITICS 

A broken bone often becomes stronger after it’s healed. Likewise, God can touch our broken lives and make us stronger than we were before. On the night of His arrest, Jesus said to Peter, “Satan has asked … [to] sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you. … And when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). Peter’s failure wasn’t final. He did “return”—to “strengthen his brothers.” He preached on Pentecost and 3,000 were baptized; he provided spiritual leadership, and wrote two New Testament books. Restorative grace lifts up the fallen, makes the wounded whole, and transforms failures into fruitfulness. Cast away, rejected, or despised as chaff? Ignore the critics! Christ has prayed for you!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim