Can You Take Correction?

 

By Andrea Merrell

“Your son is not doing well in my classroom,” the teacher said to Stevie’s parents. “It seems he doesn’t do well taking correction.”

“Oh, we try not to correct our son,” Stevie’s dad responded, emphasizing his distaste for the word correct. “We don’t make rules. We believe in allowing him to think for himself and make his own decisions. We don’t ever want to stifle his freedom and creativity.”

How sad for little Stevie, his parents, friends, and society in general. This boy—like so many others—is growing up with no structure. No discipline. No guidelines or boundaries. Not only will this affect him in the workplace and in relationships, it can cause him to ignore God’s leading and instruction as well.

The Book of Proverbs talks a lot about this subject:

• A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel. (Proverbs 1:5 NKJV)
• The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV)
• Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:7 NLT)
• Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. (Proverbs 4:13 NLT)
• Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. (Proverbs 8:33 NLT)
• If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. (Proverbs 15:32 NLT)
• To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. (Proverbs 29:15 NLT)
• Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. (Proverbs 29:17 NLT)

Just as wise parents are to correct their children, our loving heavenly father corrects those who belong to Him.

For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child. As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:6-11 MSG)

This life journey we’re on is full of learning and correction, so ask yourself: Am I teachable?

Photo by Keren Fedida on Unsplash