"...Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Pet. 2:12)

Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, was attacked continually for his work in the medical field. He found that criticism came in three stages. The first stage is when people tell you that you're wrong, it won't work. After they've seen you get some success under your belt, they say that what you're doing isn't really that important. Finally, after they see that it's important, they'll say that they knew you would do it all along.

If you're stretching, the best defense to these critics is the fruit of your labor. Don't feel that you have to pull out of that stretch position to defend yourself. Just go out and produce the fruit. Those who recognize fruit will appreciate it, and those who don't recognize fruit will criticize you whether you produce fruit or not. (From Be All You Can Be, by John Maxwell, p. 43)