Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 7-9.
There will be times in which we need to correct someone who has fallen into sin. There will also be times in which we must be corrected for some sin we have committed. But unfortunately, not all correction is received as it ought to be. Consider the words of the wise man:
“He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked men gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning” (Proverbs 9:7-9).
Solomon mentions two ways in which correction might be received:
- The wicked way – attempts at correction are met with dishonor, insults and hatred.
- The wise way – attempts at correction are received, implemented, and appreciated.
There are a couple of lessons we should learn from this:
- If you are correcting someone in sin, you are obviously going to hope that the correction is well-received. But it may not be. If it is rejected, do not be discouraged. You did what you could and the other person must live with his choice. When he has a change of heart, he may be more receptive later.
- If you are receiving correction from someone because of your sin, do not get defensive or angry. Be appreciative, knowing that this one who is correcting you is doing so in order to help you. Receive their correction and make the necessary changes in your life.
Tomorrow’s reading: Proverbs 10-12
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.
