Sunday Bite

SEVEN WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE RESPOND TO CORRECTIONS

1. Those that deny Correction

In 1 Sam 15:20, Saul defends his disobedience. He had been given a command by God to utterly destroy the Amalekites.

In his disobedience, he spared Agag the King, the best sheep, oxen and the goods of the land.

God was so annoyed with Saul, He regretted making him king. God’s judgement over Saul was pronounced by prophet Samuel in these words we love to quote,

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” I Samuel 15:23

2. Those that give excuses

Adam in Gen 3:12, gave excuses as to why he had sinned against God. He blamed Eve his wife.

As a believer, do not give excuses for shortcomings and such happenings in ministry and life. Others are not to blame for the unfortunate incidents in your life.

Suppose you are supposed to be a worship leader in church, but fail to do it because someone opposed you in the worship team?

The blame game is not biblical.

3. Those that Ignore Corrections

1 Sam 2:25 ‘If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.’

This verse is in reference to Eli’s sons . Eli had been faithful to God as a High Priest. His sons however, did not take up his character. The Word says that they committed atrocities against God such as sleeping with the women that worked at the entrance to the Lord’s house.

The bad reports about them reached their old father. He warned them, but they ignored him.

Ignorance leads to both spiritual and Physical death. Be careful.

4. Those that Pretend to have heeded to the Correction

Jer 3:10 ‘And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the Lord.’

Those that ignore corrections are different from those that pretend to have accepted corrections.

A pretender will listen but will not heed to the correction.

5. Those that Become Angry

Some believers become angry when they are corrected.

Acts 7:54 ‘When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.’

In Acts 7, Stephen was addressing the Sanhedrin about Israel’s rejection of God, and especially their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Stephen had been wrongly accused of blasphemy and was before the Jewish leaders for judgement.

Although everything Stephen said was true, they were so angry at him, that they not only gnashed at him, they eventually killed him.

6. Those that Attack

In Luke 3:19-20, we see Herod the tetrach, locking John the Baptist in jail, for correcting him concerning marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias.

Some people are full of themselves to an extent they will not only fail to heed to correction, they will attack the person that corrected them.

Attacks can be waged through any of the following ways;

• Verbal counter attack. Attacking the person who has corrected you directly through word of mouth.
• Verbal attack through gossip. Speaking maliciously to others concerning the person that has corrected you.
• Direct Violence Attacking the person that corrected you physically.

7. Those that Repent

1 Sam 12:13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

The best way to respond to corrections is by repentance. David admitted to his sins of adultery and murder. As a king, he showed great humility by admitting to his mistake. He was shown mercy.

Our God is merciful. Instead of ignoring or getting angry at being corrected, seek God with all sincerity and make peace with your situation. Repent.

CORRECTION IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN

Correction has a number of benefits. Some people have to learn painful lessons through experience before they’ll change, while others respond quite well to a rebuke or critique. Correction is one of the tools for learning in life.

You might want to engage your kids in a helpful dialogue by asking the question, “How many different ways can you list that people learn?” For example, from a teacher or from a book.

Allow them to list as many as they can think of and then say, “I can think of one you haven’t mentioned.” Then reveal your answer. “People learn things through correction.” The sooner a child can appreciate correction, the faster that child will mature.

One fun activity you can do with your children to illustrate the value of correction is to come into the kitchen with a three-foot piece of toilet paper hanging from the back of your shirt collar. It won’t take long for your child to notice and make a comment.

You can then react with exaggerated defensiveness. Respond with comments like, “Why do you always pick on me?” “There’s nothing wrong with the way I’m dressed.” You might provoke your child’s curiosity by walking close or swinging around near the child.

When your child pursues you to grab the toilet paper, run away saying something like, “I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not my fault. People are always picking on me and blaming me for everything.”

Of course when it’s all over take time to talk about how important correction is in our lives. In fact you might read Proverbs 12:1, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” (We don’t use the word “stupid” in our home, but it’s interesting that God uses it in this verse.)

Does that verse say that the person who is corrected is stupid? No. It says that the person who hates correction is stupid. Why do you think it says that? Maybe it means that the person who doesn’t want to be corrected will look stupid.

NOW YOU KNOW

GIVING CORRECTION IS LOVING

The world says love means letting people do whatever they want whether it is detrimental to them or anyone else. Disagreeing with someone’s choices or lifestyle makes you at best unloving, and at worst hateful. This logic demands sitting back silently while people make destructive decisions.

The Bible, on the other hand, points out the logical reality that love demands correcting people:

Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:8

He will love you, because he has the wisdom to recognize you have done him a favor.

David saw it as an act of love to be rebuked by someone:

Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.
Psalm 141:5

David invited correction, because he knew how important it was if he was going to live a life fully committed to the Lord.

When someone is sinning, correcting is what a friend does. Silence – or worse encouragement – is what an enemy does:

Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:5

Rebuking is better or more loving than “love” that remains silent when it should speak up. A true friend will hurt you at times. Someone who praises or compliments when a rebuke should take place is not just unloving, but is an enemy because of the selfishness of supporting or encouraging a destructive behavior. Here’s the same truth:

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5

Comparing Ecclesiastes 7:5 with Proverbs 27:6 it is better to be wounded/rebuked by someone wise than kissed/sung to (or praised) by a fool/enemy.

NOW YOU KNOW