Be Open To Correction

Psalm 141:5; Proverbs 29:1: “Let a righteous man strike me-it is a kindness; let him rebuke me-it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it . . . . A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed-without remedy.”

We all struggle with the notion of self-sufficiency. Many times we think that we have all the answers to our daily lives, and we think that we are not in need of advice (and certainly not correction) from others. And although we easily can fall prey to the notion that we don’t need a word of rebuke or admonishment, we absolutely need to have mature believers in Christ confronting us about sin in our lives with the hope of correction and restoration (Galatians 6:1-2). No one is above the need of a loving rebuke from a fellow believer, for we are all tempted to sin and sometimes fall to its enticements.

The church has been created by God for the purpose of being a place where believers can corporately worship the Lord and a place where mutual edification of believers can occur. We are able to minister to one another in the faith by carrying one another’s burdens and by giving objective insight to each other about situations in our lives. This is why we need to be connected to a body of true believers who uphold the truths of God’s Word and are committed to being obedient to Christ (Hebrews 10:23-25). Proverbs 27:17 suggests that we are to sharpen each other as “iron sharpens iron.” Sharpening of blades does not occur without tension and friction, but in the end each blade is more resourceful in its sharpened condition. So too it is with a true believer’s confrontation. Our Christian friends may see the need to approach us with the concern that we are moving in a direction that is disobedient to our Lord. We must remember that the words shared by a friend, though painful at the time, may be the instrument that the Holy Spirit uses to convict our hearts of sin. We in turn must be humble enough to receive such words of direction. Even if the words shared are of a concern that is not warranted, we have the responsibility to love our friends and express appreciation to them for their willingness to love us by confronting us.

It is the obstinate, “stiff-necked” person who will suffer in the end. In his prideful condition, he is insistent that he is beyond any need of correction by others. He takes serious offense to one who would approach him about an area that is perceived as being disobedient to Christ. He turns a deaf ear to any words of rebuke and makes it a point to scold anyone who would dare question his character. God’s Word states that this person is stupid (Proverbs 12:1); that is, he is not sensible to the valuable words of re-direction that can lead him down the road of righteousness. In his sinister rebellion against correction, he commits his greatest energies toward discrediting those who would dare confront him. Such animosity is evidence of a heart that may be completely void of a relationship with Christ; “Why?” You may ask? The answer, as Galatians 5 suggests, is "obvious." These acts of the sinful nature (hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and the like) are those that are the evidential fruit of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). Persistent production of such fruit reveals a heart that is unresponsive to the Holy Spirit.

Remember, true friendship is found in one being straightforward and honest; merely exchanging pleasant platitudes with others reveals a heart that is more concerned with selfish returns from that person (i.e. the need for acceptance, affirmation, etc.) than with having the other person’s best interest at heart.

Proverbs 27:5,6,9 share keen insight to this thought: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses . . . . Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.”