Responses to Correction

So when someone tells you that you are wrong for something....how do you act?

What if they tell you that you show too much skin?

What if they say you need to watch your potty mouth and take more care in your words?

How about if they say you offended them?

What if they correct your parenting skills?

What if they tell you that you eat an inappropriate amount of food?

Of course this could apply to a LOT of things and topics.  As you read, keep in mind I am not addressing whether or not a person SHOULD be correcting you on  particular topic.  I am also not addressing the manner or method of correction.  We all know some people can be quite unthinking and feeling and entirely too nosey on occasion.

Sometimes, they are right despite their poor skill in giving a rebuke.  Some things are just not another person's business.  Their lack of finesse might not negate the their accuracy in their assessment.  Rebukes or corrections, whatever you like to call them, are sometimes needed in the Christian walk.  Even non believers have occasion where they want to hear truth and good counsel from their friends.  As believers we are called to gently lift and correct one another. Some of us do it better than others.  Some of us are terrible at timing and manner of delivery.  The point is, rebukes happen.  How do we deal with it?

I want to zero in on is your reaction.  You might feel like "you won't take nothing like that from anyone!".  You might be very defensive.  You might be angry.  I think the majority of people tend to get defensive.  I surely do sometimes.  It can depend on the topic.

You might be downright apathetic.  You could know full well the correction is just, but you just don't care.  The full knowledge of sin, combined with an utter lack of repentance is a scary thing.

However, you might have a humble and meek heart.  You could have been approached in a hideous manner, on a topic that was absolutely private.  It could be something you already frequently pray about with the Father.  Still yet, you self examined to see if you were in the right or wrong.  You forgave the manner in which you were approached.  You just looked to see if it was something you needed to get right with God on.

Of these three things.....which do you think the Bible would have us do?  We are always to examine our hearts.  We should be humble, meek and open to rebuke.  We need to be forgiving, loving, and thankful when someone cared enough to say something.

The next time someone issues you a correction or rebuke, what will your response be?


Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?2 Corinthians 13:5



Open rebuke is better than secret love.Proverbs 27:5


 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.  ~ Prov 3:11-12



A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.  ~ Prov 15:5


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