Monday, June 26, 2017

June 26 Thought for the day....bringing correction


Have you ever found yourself in a situation with your children, an employee, or co-worker where you had to speak a word of correction, and it was totally rejected? Your kids just rolled their eyes, or the co-worker got angry. If you are loving and caring you will need to speak correction into someone's life sooner or later. Paul is teaching young Timothy how to do it...

"A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people." 2 Timothy 2:24

It is easy to get into a quarrel with someone when you are trying to bring correction, and they are not receiving it. If you love, you will keep at it to help the person grow. We all need correction to grow to become who God has called us to be an undisciplined child is an unloved child.

Paul stresses patience with correction. What we miss in the English translation is the word patience here means to "tolerantly bear with the reaction of those who do not want to receive" the expectation is that they will eventually receive from you if they do want to grow.

This is my story, sometimes. Many believe when people come to see me for advice that those seeking advice are seeking the wisdom the Lord has given me and the gifts of words of wisdom and knowledge that I flow in supernaturally, naturally but sadly some come hoping that I will justify their position only. When I speak correction or give instruction for discipline, I will sometimes get a blank stare, blatant rejection, or even sometimes, a violent reaction. However, I have learned if I am patient and they really do want to be who Jesus has called them to be, they will eventually come around. If they don't come around, they aren't at a place ready to change. I will still pray and wait, trusting the Holy Spirit to do His work to bring the person to their healing place.

Paul stresses to Timothy that people will not always be happy when they are being corrected, but we must be patient when bringing correction. He stresses this again in Galatians 6:1 "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself." This is another reason we need to be patient while bringing correction. All of us have areas of weakness, and if we would consider how we would feel if someone was speaking correction into our lives, it may help us to be patient.

If you are growing in Christ, we will need people to bring correction and discipline into our lives. We all have flesh to overcome. Be humble, receive the correction and when giving correction be just as loving and humble and watch the people in your life grow to fulfill their destiny.


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