Handling Correction

A couple weeks ago, I was in the mood to go back to the book of Proverbs. It had actually been a few years since I had actually sat down and read Proverbs from beginning to end. We tend to catch pieces of it, maybe in a sermon, if we are doing a topical study.

The book of Proverbs, for me, has sort of been just darting in and out, piece here and a piece there. I wanted to go back and go through it from beginning to end. Since I have a bit of time on my hands running my landscape business in terms of listening to things, one of the advantages about working every day is I can put my earbuds in and listen to various things I've downloaded.

I had Austin install onto my phone the book of Proverbs from the dramatized audio Bible that he owns. Over the course of a few days, I had an opportunity to actually go through Proverbs three or four times. As I was listening to it, one of the things that struck me is just the various themes that will run through Proverbs from beginning to end.

One of the themes that stood out as most significant to me this time around was the theme of correction. The book of Proverbs, as well as many of the other books in the Bible, have a lot to say on the topic of correction and handling correction, both in the giving of it and the receiving of it. So this afternoon, I would like to talk about correction. Let's begin today in Proverbs the 12th chapter.

Proverbs 12, this is a passage that I would say sums up the whole message on correction, at least in my mind, as I was struck by it. Proverbs 12 and beginning in verse 1, here's Solomon writing, and he says, "...whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." You know, at this point in my life, I would have to say that the lesson that jumped out at me from the book of Proverbs is, he who hates correction is stupid. Or as some translations would put it, brutish, as in the brute dumb animal. Solomon chose these words specifically. You know, I'm not in the habit of going around and calling people stupid, but I think it's a rather graphic representation of the individual who would despise and who would hate correction.

The general purpose for correction, brethren, is to encourage an individual to correct or to set straight an issue or a circumstance in their life for the better good, for the good of themself. The website dictionary.com defines correct in this way, and to correct something is the result of implementing correction. So it says this about correct. It says, "...to make or set true, to make accurate or right.

To correct is to remove the errors or faults from something. It's to alter or to adjust, so as to bring into acceptance with a standard or with a required condition." That's what it means to correct, essentially to turn from wrong to right, from crooked to straight. And so a person who hates legitimate correction is actually a person who opposes himself.

He opposes himself because he's denying himself opportunities to learn and grow, to turn a wrong behavior into a right behavior, to turn the direction that he's going in his life from the crooked to the straight. So they very much oppose themselves by refusing correction, in that sense they're their own worst enemy. Again, Solomon said, he who hates correction is stupid. But to love instruction, which he also mentioned, has the opposite effect. To love the instruction, it's the desire to see and to learn about those things that will actually make you a better person, that will improve your overall quality of being and give you strength of character.

Those are the things that we should love and seek after and desire to implement in our lives. For then, how we view and process and implement legitimate correction is important. In fact, it has eternal implications in our life. Because, you see, in this Christian life, it's all about receiving and implementing change today, isn't it? We've been called to be conformed to the stature of the fullness of Christ, but that's not where we start.

That's where we're hopefully going to end up. We start with the carnal man, and is there not a vast gulf in which correction must be made between the carnal man and the stature of the fullness of Christ. This Christian life that we've been called to is all about change, all about identifying what it is that we need to correct in our life and then move forward.

This Christian life is about repentance. It's about reconciliation with God, taking on the mind of God. The only way those things will occur is through our willingness to absorb and implement correction in our lives today.

For this message, we will take a look at various aspects of handling correction, both in the giving and in the receiving and implementing personally as well. To begin with, I'd like to look at a few more proverbs.

Again, as I said, it's a theme that runs throughout the book. So we'll look at a few more proverbs that show the consequences of either viewing correction properly or improperly. Over just the page in my Bible, Proverbs 10, verse 17, says, He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray.

The intended purpose of proper instruction and correction is to keep you on straight and narrow, to keep you from wandering off into areas of your life that will bring about calamity and disaster, to bring us straight and right in our walk before God, ultimately leading to eternal life. Refusing to acknowledge that instruction must take place takes us in the wrong direction. Again, it's a big step to acknowledge in the first place that correction and wind correction need to be made to our life. If in fact we refuse to acknowledge those things, we go down a very hazardous and dangerous path.

Proverbs 15, verse 32, continues the thought. Proverbs 15, verse 32, the first half of the passage says He who disdains instruction despises his own soul. It's literally saying that he who disdains instruction hates himself. Again, he opposes himself. He's not willing to take the steps necessary for his own good. It's like if somebody broke their arm, had the bones sticking out, and they're just walking down the street, not giving it any never mind, and somebody comes along, perhaps a doctor, and says, ooh, that needs addressed.

I can help you. We can correct that problem. And the person with the broken arm just pushes them away and says, it's fine. Leave me alone. I don't need anything from you. Nothing wrong here. Well, there is something wrong there, and it is a problem, and it's something that will never be corrected unless action is taken.

And that's how it can be to despise instruction and correction. We can simply push it away. Nothing wrong here. And the instruction is, rather than that, is a very dangerous perspective to have in this Christian life. If we carry on with the second half of verse 32, it says, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. And so if you'll listen and you'll consider what's offered, then you'll recognize the fact that you've been given the tools you need to fix the problem.

If you're willing to hear what somebody says, that's the first step to acknowledging that maybe there's something you need to implement in your life today. Proverbs 13 and verse 18. Proverbs 13 verse 18 says, poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction. And that's pretty straight. You know, if you refuse to clean up your life, it's going to fall to pieces.

It's going to lead to an undesirable end. But it says, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

And he'll be honored because he actually puts the corrective instruction into practice.

He fixed what it is that needed fixed. As a result, he's a better man, and people see the result. They're pleased with the result. And he is honored by the fact that he was willing to recognize the need and to make the change.

Again, poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

Brethren, if we're not careful, we can tend to process correction as a negative thing to encounter. You know, in our own minds, we can shy away from it as something that is a negative consequence in our life. If you go out on the street and you ask people, would you consider correction to be a positive or a negative? Probably most of them would tell you that correction is a negative. And in their mind, it's probably a negative because of the way it's been handled, perhaps in the giving and perhaps even in the receiving. But the point is, correction, when it's done properly, when it's properly given, when it's given out of love, when you have your ears open and are willing to hear, that correction, brethren, is actually a very positive experience that leads to positive change and positive growth in the life of the one receiving it.

Proverbs chapter 9 gives insight into the giving of the correction as opposed to the receiving. So, let's flip it over on the other end. Proverbs chapter 9 verse 7 says, He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.

You know, a scoffer, a wicked man, they're not interested in hearing it. They're happy with what they're doing. They're heading down the path they've desired for themselves. And if you correct a scoffer or a wicked man, probably all you're going to receive in return, you know, is malicious reply. They're not going to appreciate what it is you're trying to offer. In fact, they'll probably be quite hostile towards you. He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself. He who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Verse 8, do not correct a scoffer lest he hates you. You know, he's not going to appreciate what you're offering, but it says, rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

You know, he'll actually appreciate your willingness to come and present something to him that will make him better. He'll appreciate the fact that you were willing to offer it in the first place.

Verse 9, give instruction to a wise man. He will still be wiser. Teach a just man and he will increase in learning. And so the true benefit comes from the instruction that falls on ears of those who are willing to do something with it. Those who are willing to actually think on it and implement that correction in their lives. You know, probably all of us at one time or another have found ourselves in a situation of having to either offer correction or receive it. And the manner in which is handled rather than can have big implications. If we offer it in an incorrect way, it can create trouble. If it is offered correctly but we refuse to receive it in a right and proper way, creates trouble as well. Correction can come from a number of sources and it can take a number of different forms. If you're a child, you probably have received correction from your parents.

I know when I grew up, I received correction. If you're a child, you probably receive correction from your siblings, from your friends, maybe from your teacher at school. If you're an adult, you've walked through circumstances as well where there's been opportunity for correction to be offered to you in your life. If you're an adult, you've probably received it from your spouse, from your friends, from your employer, those who are in authority either in or outside the church.

Correction also comes to us from God, brethren. And the correction that comes to us from God is the highest form and ought to be the most regarded in our life. Notice Hebrews 12.

Hebrews 12. The chapter begins with the cloud of witnesses that have gone before us. It reminds us of what Jesus Christ endured in terms of His sacrifice on our behalf. And if we come to Hebrews 12 and verse 4, it says, you have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

You know, Jesus Christ resisted unto bloodshed, striving against sin. Certainly some of the forefathers that went before us did so as well. You would have read about that through Hebrews 11.

But for the brethren that we're being written to here, and for you and I today, I would say most of us have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. You know, we have difficult problems that arise in our life. We have circumstances that are very real, big and important to us. You know, if you have a mortgage you're paying on your house and you lose your job over the Sabbath, that's a big deal. It's a big deal to you. And it's a big issue. And yet, when it boils right down to it, it says, you've not even resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

The level of persecution and resistance that you've faced can even be compared to that in the overall sense. And all I can say, brethren, is that I think we see the storm clouds on the horizon.

I think we see opportunities for more severe persecution to be coming our way in the future as you stand up for the truth of God, as you keep it implemented in your life, and as you're willing to stand as a shining example to it, to anyone that would ask. Persecution is on the way. The storm clouds are on the horizon, and there will be some, in fact, who resist unto bloodshed.

But it carries on. It says in verse 5, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons. And then he quotes from Proverbs chapter 3 verse 11 and 12. It says, My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives.

And so God's actively involved in correcting those whom he is working with unto eternal life.

And as I mentioned, the correction that comes from God is the highest form of correction that we could receive. But God knows perfectly what we need. He knows perfectly the areas in which we need to grow. And he knows perfectly what it is he needs to apply in order for us to see the need for correction and to make the change in our life.

Many times it can come to us through trials. Sometimes God simply has to give us a tap on the shoulder, and we'll hear. Other times, maybe we get the hand to the back of the head in terms of wake up. But God does all these things out of love. God does not correct us in terms of a mean-spirited type of correction. He does it out of love for our benefit. The question is, brethren, are we of those who hear the instruction and increase in understanding unto wisdom, or are we of those who hate correction and desire to continue on down the same path? Verse 11. I'm sorry, let me back up. Verse 7, continuing on, it says, If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. He says, For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who have corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seem best to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

And so the correction and the discipline that comes from our heavenly Father is for our eternal good, is for our benefit ultimately in the long run. He deals with us in that parent-child relationship.

And it's you're a parent and you've raised children, you understand that there are times you do have to correct. Maybe even even stronger correction goes into rebuke. But the fact is, you do so not for the harm of the child, but for the fact you're trying to bring them up in a way that would be respectable and honorable. And they could then go out and be a very important part of both the church and society at large. To get the point is, as parents, we correct our children for their good and for their profit. And that's the way that God deals with us as his children as well.

Now verse 11, it says, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. It's oftentimes the way it feels. Nevertheless, afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, he says, strengthen the hands which hang down in the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet. So that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. And so implementing the spiritual course corrections that God gives us is the key to spiritual healing in our life. It's the key to staying on straight and narrow, the right and proper course ultimately to the kingdom of God.

Another way that God offers us correction is through the study of his word, through the scripture. It's something that should be before us every day.

Brethren, when you and I engage in our Bible study, do we ever consider correction to be the point of our study? Do we ever consider the Word of God to be corrective? What is it that we do when we see correction in scripture? Well, we should, I believe, each day as we study the Word of God be looking for the areas that we can correct and grow in in our life. The Word of God is in fact a corrective. I don't want to use that in a negative way, but it is a corrective tool in helping to bring us unto righteousness. And we'll see it in a very positive way if, in fact, we are looking. 2 Timothy chapter 3. 2 Timothy 3. Here we find the apostle Paul expressing Timothy, some of the valuable purposes by which the Word of God is to be used. 2 Timothy chapter 3, beginning in verse 14.

Paul says, But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. You know, he's saying, Timothy, teach as you've been taught. Remain steadfast to those principles.

And that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Verse 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good word. And so, brethren, what should jump out at us immediately as we read this is that the Word of God is profitable for correction. Correction, but not only that. It listed three other points.

Besides correction, it listed doctrine, which is established teaching, reproof, which is basically a rebuke in order to show someone else the error of their ways.

It's used for instruction in righteousness, in which the Word of God teaches us how to be righteous, how to be more like God the Father and Jesus Christ, and how to implement their character in our life. I think it's interesting that three out of the four issues listed, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness have to do with the heart.

They have to do with the change of attitude and the level of correction that must be received and implemented in our life, again, as we go from the carnal man to the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ. God's called us to change. His Word gives us opportunity to see where it is we need to change. And it's not a negative process. Again, a son whom the Father loves, he rebukes, he corrects, but it's as a parent to a child. It is indeed for our good. And if we're looking, we can find those attitudes, we can find those opportunities within the Scripture then to correct things that we need to correct in our life, again, to turn them from wrong to right.

For me, when I look at the Word of God, I think, you know, there are so many things yet even to learn. And all of us start at some point, and there are probably many in this room who one day open the Scripture and they realize, you know what? The Sabbath is not Sunday. And God does desire us to keep Holy Days and not the holidays and things that would have a pagan focus in that way. And so we then began to make changes. We corrected the day we went to church. We corrected the days that we kept in observance. Some of them even would have been given in, at least in our mind, to Jesus Christ and to God, but they were not. But as we read the Scripture, it shows us the things which we are not currently doing. It shows us the standard, which is Jesus Christ.

And then hopefully, if we see it from the right and proper perspective, we understand the correction.

The ninn needs to take place in our lives. The beautiful thing about correction from the Word of God is that it's one-on-one. You know, it's not open rebuke to you in front of the whole room.

No, studying God's Word is something that is personal. It's direct. And if we then make those changes, that's between ultimately us and God. Let's go now to James, chapter 1.

Here James is addressing the need to be doers of the Word, not hearers only, to actually implement the things that we're being instructed in. And in James chapter 1, verse 23, we see an important principle which begins to be expounded. James 1, verse 23, says, For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror. For he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of a man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty, God's Word, and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. And so here James equates God's Word to a mirror. You know, a mirror is something that we look at in order to see clearly who and what we are. You get up in the morning, you brush your teeth, you fix your hair, you probably are looking in the mirror to see if anything is out of place. How do I look? And he says God's Word in that way is a mirror to us. When we look into it, we see ourselves clearly. I recently looked into the mirror at home. I could see myself clearly, and I could see, you know what, there's corrections that need to be made physically. You know, I'm thinking I've kind of let a few things slide. For a guy in his early 40s, I thought I'm in pretty good shape, but then my buddy Steve-O went and did the Iron Man, and we saw him train for that and run that, and frankly I suddenly said, Paul, who are you kidding? So I looked in the mirror, I said, you know, there's some correction that needs to be made here. I need to hit the pull-up bar, I need to start doing sit-ups. The mirror revealed correction that needed to take place in my life. Well, it's the same with the Word of God.

When we look into the perfect law of liberty, we see ourselves clearly. We see a reflection of who and what we are spiritually, and maybe we see the areas where we are falling short and need to make changes in our life. Again, if we take an honest look, the Word of God points those things out to us.

Being able to see the need is one thing. Being willing to implement and make the correction in your life is another thing, and, brethren, that takes spiritual maturity. That takes the willingness to let go of certain things that are maybe so deeply embedded in our life that we don't want to let go of. It means we say, yes, I want to be conformed to the character in the mind of God, not to the character in mind of self. And we implement the change. It's a sign of spiritual maturity, and it's a sign of humility in the mind of God working in you.

Brethren, you and I can never afford to put the mirror away. We can never afford to stop looking into the perfect law of liberty. We can never afford to stop studying God's Word, because it is the mind of God that is contained here for us to understand. And it is the mind that then we must instill in us as we live our life on a daily basis. If you and I put this away, we walk away. It's like leaving the mirror, and you'll soon forget what measure of a man or woman you are. So James just simply says, live as you've been taught. Continue to look into that perfect law of liberty, the Word of God. So again, we need to approach our Bible study with a humble and a teachable attitude. As we're doing so, we need to ask God in prayer to help us to see those things that would be a correction in our life and to give us the desire and the strength through His Spirit to, in fact, make those corrections. So that's God-related correction.

Correction that comes directly from God, correction that comes through the Word of God.

Many times in our life, we receive people-related correction as well. As I mentioned earlier, if you're a child, it comes from certain sources. If you're an adult, perhaps it comes from other. But there are people-related sources of correction. And, you know, in some ways, I think God-related correction is often easier for us to handle than people-related correction.

You know, if the word from God is right here in this Scripture, it's pretty black and white, it's pretty plain, who are you going to be to argue against God? God has no ulterior motive except for your development, for the good. But, you know, correction as it's coming from other individuals, people in the flesh, can be a little more complicated. Correction from people can lead to offenses. And ultimately, if it's not handled properly, and if the fences aren't mended, it can lead to, you know, a downright breakdown in the relationship. And that certainly is not the outcome that's desired for correction. Causing offense is one of the fastest ways to close the door on offering legitimate correction. And I do want to say up front, legitimate correction. I'm not talking about some trumped up charge that comes out of left field, something that has no real basis or merit. But if somebody is to bring you something that is legitimate, that truly needs to be corrected in your life, becoming offended is one of the quickest ways to close the door, to either being the one to receive it, or to force out the one who is offering it.

Notice Proverbs chapter 18.

A familiar passage to us, Proverbs chapter 18 and verse 19.

Helps if I'm in the right chapter. Proverbs 18, 19 says, A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle. So again, the brother offended is not the desired effect of correction. Because you see, once the offense has occurred, it can be nearly impossible then to help someone. It says it's like a strong city or the bars of a castle. Once you've offended someone, you know what? The walls of defense have gone up. The gates have been shut. The bridge has been retracted. The moat's full of water. And it's like a fortress that is nearly impossible to penetrate. If you've closed that door, it's very difficult for them to open it and let you back in once again. If you're the offended party in that situation, you know what? You might refuse to listen to correction even if it's legitimate. Because this person offended you, and why would you want to let them be right after what it is that they put you through?

You know, sometimes these things can't be helped. Sometimes offenses do occur despite our best efforts, but rather than we should try to the best ability we can to both give and receive correction without giving or taking offense. And so for the remainder of the message, what I'd like to do is offer us helpful suggestions as to how we might give correction and receive correction in a way that achieves the desired effect. Right off the bat, I do want to admit that I don't have a perfect track record as it comes to both sides of this coin. So the points I'm going to give are just as important to me as to any of you, but it's important that we come to understand some of the best principles for approaching these situations. I also want to add a disclaimer at this point.

You know, Solomon said, he who hates correction is stupid. That doesn't mean I want you to run out and go find things to correct your neighbor on. Okay? I think we all understand that. We exercise common sense in those things. You know, don't say, if you don't hear what I have to say, you're stupid and the Word of God says so, and I have that backing me up. No, but the fact is we should be willing to offer and listen when we're in a relationship, when we're in a circumstance that it can be done prudently and properly. So, brethren, let's suppose that you're in the position of offering correction. Suppose you're someone who is in authority and you have to address an issue with someone, or maybe you're an employer or a supervisor at work, or maybe you're offering correction to your friend or your spouse or your child. What are some of the things that we should consider that will keep the door from being slammed in our face and the walls of defense going up?

Well, I have some points here. I've tended to organize this in a little bit of an outline form, both headings and subheadings. So, under offering correction, the first heading I have is to think things through in advance of giving serious correction. Think things through in advance of giving serious correction. You know, I'm not talking about something minor like, you know, there's a child running down the hall at church and you stop them and you say, don't run. You might make somebody fall and become injured. Now, we're talking about serious correction. It really should involve some forethought before entering the situation.

Don't just fly off the handle. You know, it's easy when something comes up to say, there's a problem here, I'm going to handle it. And we can charge right in headfirst. And if we're not careful, we can be like the bull in the china shop, sort of destroying everything in the process as we're trying to put, you know, one little piece together. So, think through these things in advance.

So, under the heading of thinking things through in advance, here's some, here's some ways that we should think things through. Point A, pray for guidance and inspiration in how to best address the situation. Pray for guidance and inspiration in how to best address the situation. You know, seek wisdom from God because different situations need to be handled differently and different individuals need to be handled differently as well. It's not just a cookie cutter operation. And so, we really need to think through how it is that we can best approach the situation to the desired end. Ask God's help. You know, there's an old saying, and I'm not sure exactly where it came from, but it says, when the only tool in your box is a hammer, you can tend to view every problem as a nail. You know, there's a problem. Whack. There's a problem. Whack. You know, whack, whack. If that's your mode of operation, all you're going to be doing is whacking every problem with your hammer. But maybe it's a problem that just needs fine-tune adjustment. Maybe the, I'll say the vessel of the problem, the one on the receiving end is a fine piece of china. Is a hammer really the way to handle that situation? If the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer, you tend to view every problem as a nail. And so we need to pray for God to help us to see how best to assert ourselves, how best to engage in the situation in a way that will bring it to the desired result without causing the offense. Point B, under thinking things through, be sure you're approaching correction from a pure heart. Be sure you're approaching correction from a pure heart. You need to have the best interest of the other person in mind. You know, don't be approaching them from an ulterior motive. You know, if your attitude is, you know, oh boy, I've been waiting to put my hooks into you for such a long time, you know, you're probably not the person to be offering the correction. If the only tool you have, again, is a hammer, you're probably not the best person to be offering the correction. Make sure you're approaching from a pure heart. You know, don't underestimate the other person's ability to see where you're coming from.

Make sure you're not approaching in pride or jealousy or anger or in some way where you're just trying to get the one up on the other person. Evaluate your own heart first. I would say that probably falls in line with the principle of take the beam out of your own eye before you try to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. You need to ask, am I really the person to be addressing this situation? Sometimes you may be, and sometimes you may not be. So think those things through in advance. Certainly as well, brethren, we do not want to address in anger. Jeremiah chapter 10 verse 24 speaks to this point. Jeremiah 10 verse 24. This is receiving correction from a little higher power than merely humans, but the principle applies, I believe.

Jeremiah 10 verse 24 says, Oh Lord, correct me, but with justice, not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. You know, we want to correct in justice for the right and proper reasons when we deal with people, and when we're being dealt with, we want it to be done in righteousness and proper justice as well, and not in anger. Don't just lash out and strike out. Consider before you speak. James 1 verse 20 says, For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

So we must be careful. Point C, under thinking things through in advance, have the facts and points of correction clearly established in your mind. Have the facts and points of correction clearly established in your mind. You know, you need to be able to convey accurately to the other person what it is you're even addressing. You need to make sure that you have all the points of the situation clearly understood, because if you walk into the room and you're looking to rebuke someone, because it happens easily, I'm going to fix this problem, you walk in out of anger, you rebuke someone, and you've only had half the story, then it's not going to go well, either for you or for them. So make sure you have all the points correctly. Proverbs 18 and verse 17. Proverbs 18 verse 17. This is probably one of the, I would say, one of the greatest lessons that I've had pointed out to me and that I've seen just through practical experience in the ministry. Proverbs 18, 17. It says, the first one to plead his cause seems right until his neighbor comes and examines him. It can be so easy to hear one side of the story and say, I'm going to take action especially if they're convincing, especially if there's tears, and yet the point is you need to understand the other side. There are often two sides to the same story, two perspectives. That doesn't mean that one is wrong completely and the other is right completely, but it means you need to have all the facts in hand before you engage in the process. Point D, under thinking things through. Find the right time and place to deal with the situation. Find the right time and place. Don't bring up a serious matter that needs to be addressed and the other person doesn't have the ability to be attentive or to listen. If the phone is ringing or there's kids hanging on their arm or if they run out to an appointment, it's really not the time to bring up something serious to be addressed. Find the right time and place and find the right setting. If it's a situation that just involves you or that person, it needs to be done in private. It doesn't need to be called out in front of everybody else. Keep the matter where it belongs between you and them.

Again, Matthew 18, 15, which I referenced, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his faults between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

So find the right time and place. Point E, ground your correction in the Word of God.

Ground your correction in the Word of God. Again, 2nd Timothy 3, 16, which we read, said, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. And so when the Scripture is the authority and the Word of God is the authority, then you don't have to be because you see God is the authority.

You're simply the messenger. Perhaps you've been charged with the responsibility to deliver the message and set a matter straight, but there again where God is the authority, that's the ultimate authority. So hide behind Scripture where possible. Ground your correction in the Word of God. Now, if we move on to the heading of offering correction, where actually we've thought things through, we've walked through the process of preparing, now we're going to actively offer correction. So under that heading, point A, remind the person that you are their friend and that you care for them. You know, you don't just want to pull somebody aside and lay right into them, tear them apart. You need to remind them, you know what, I'm your friend.

I'm offering this because I care about you. I want what is the best for you.

That is why I'm offering this. Please hear me. Remind them. You're their friend and you do care for them. Again, it comes back to the fact of attitude and motive are important. You need to approach humbly, without pride, without any ulterior motive. Point B for offering correction, stick to the facts at hand. Stick to the facts at hand. You know, don't bring up past wrongs and issues that have no bearing on the situation you're going through right now. You know, you don't want to say things like, well, it really doesn't surprise me we're facing this after, you know, what you did in your past. You need to address the situation at hand. Stick to the facts at hand. And those other things really aren't helpful in resolving the current problem.

Point C under offering correction, where you can offer helpful encouragement and positive comments.

Along with the correction. Offer helpful encouragement and positive comments along with the correction. And why would we do that? Well, we don't want the people to become discouraged.

We don't want somebody to feel like they're just beaten up and laid low and are worthless. We want to encourage them as well. You know, I often think back on my early years of when I first had opportunity to speak and to give sermonettes and the fact that Greg Chek helped a number of us speakers to improve on our speaking. And so we'd give a sermonette and then he would give an evaluation in terms of maybe our structure or content. And the purpose was to help us be better speakers, to help us to be able to contain the message within 12 minutes and to be able to present a point that was clear and accurate and to the point. Because ultimately the benefit was to be for you, receiving the message. And so I go back and I can think on some of the evaluations Mr. Chek offered. And you know, there were things that we needed to make corrections on, that I needed to make corrections on in terms of my speaking and presentation. But I can never think of an evaluation he gave that didn't include praise and helpful input along with what needed to be corrected. You know, he'd say that I thought that was a good topic and I thought your perspective on it was good, but you know, sermonette is a one-point issue. You need to maybe boil it down this way and then present it. But I appreciated the fact that any kind of correction, and again I'm not saying negative correction, but correction that helps write what we're doing, it was always containing positive comments as well. It was very helpful. I can probably think about five years ago I gave a sermonette on the line of David and I talked about the fact that, you know, the would never lack someone to sit on the throne from the line of David. And I went through David and Solomon and back up the line to, I think, Zara and Ferez, the children of Judah, down through the sons of Zedekiah being killed and the daughters being taken over to Egypt and eventually Scotland and Ireland and England and the throne of England, now as the throne of David all the way down to return to Jesus Christ, it was a sermonette. Maybe someday I'll go back and give you a three-part sermon on that topic. But the point is the help is offered in order to correct, and yet we need to offer helpful encouragement and positive comments along the way, and I appreciate that that was done.

Point D under offering correction is keep a humble and loving attitude. Humble and loving attitude. You don't want to appear superior because you're the one doing the correcting.

You want them to know that your reasoning for offering it is grounded in love.

Now we'll shift gears a bit. Going forward, we'll talk about being now on the receiving end of correction. And again, I want to point out we're talking about legitimate correction, not some trumped-up charge, but legitimate correction, things that we should be willing to receive. So under the heading of properly receiving correction, point A is to be approachable.

Be approachable. Do our friends, our employers, our spouses, do those people that would offer us correction, see us as people that are approachable? Or do they hold back out of fear? Are they worried that if they bring something up to you, you'll come on them like a pile of bricks and mop the floor of what's left over? You know, they need to see you're approachable, that you're willing to listen. Which leads to point B, which is be a careful listener. Be a careful listener. If somebody's approached you, taking the time and thought to do so, be a careful listener.

Be sure you understand clearly what it is that's being addressed, because a misunderstanding can cause offense. It can cause a problem to be something that it need not be to begin with.

To be a careful listener. Don't just cut the other person off with an excuse. Don't interrupt, but hear them through, consider it, then respond. Point C on receiving correction.

Don't let your feelings get hurt. Don't let your feelings get hurt. That is so difficult. It can happen so easily, especially when you're on the receiving end.

You can feel like you're attacked. You can feel like you're picked on. But rather, if it's legitimate correction, and we would hope it is offered correctly, but even if it's not, don't become offended. Because again, you become offended, you push out, and you won't even hear, to the full extent, the point that's being offered. So don't let your feelings get hurt. Psalm 119 verse 165 says, Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. And correction should not cause us to stumble either.

Point D under receiving correction. Be willing to admit when you're wrong.

Be willing to admit when you're wrong. If you've heard the facts, you agree that the facts are true, you need to be willing to admit when you're wrong and accept accountability. If you refuse to admit you're wrong, that you've ever done anything wrong, and you litagitimately did do something wrong, then you're not going to take the steps towards correcting the issue, whatever it had been.

That takes humility. That takes an attitude that is not pride. The problem with pride is that it's an obstacle to receiving and handling correction. You know, a proud person says, well, I've done nothing wrong. You know, a proud person walks into the room and says, in fact, I happen to know I'm better than you and you and you and you and you. They look around the room and they can say, well, who are you to tell me anything? Pride is a huge obstacle. It stands in the way of receiving and the implementing of correction. To ground it in humility, pray for humility when offering it, and receiving correction. In Step B, under receiving correction, accept it as an opportunity for growth and be willing to change. Accept correction as an opportunity for growth and be willing to change. Again, if we have acknowledged that the correction was indeed warranted, then we need to be willing to implement the necessary changes in our life to bring about growth for the good. It takes humility. It takes maturity. And yet it said, as we read in the proverb early on, that that person who would take and implement that correction in their life is honored.

Because others can see, you know what, they're willing to listen, evaluate, and make a change.

That indeed is an honorable thing before man and God. So accept it as an opportunity for growth and be willing to change. And final point here, point F, under receiving correction, be appreciative. And that can be a little difficult at times. It'd be hard to appreciate somebody coming to you, telling you that perhaps you've done something wrong. But be appreciative. Appreciate the fact that someone cares enough about your well-being to be willing to offer legitimate correction.

Because you know what, they're taking a risk as well. They're worried about damaging your friendship, your relationship. But if they've thought it through and are approaching it in a right and proper way, brethren, we ought to be appreciative for what it is they're willing to offer.

You know, something that I greatly appreciate is in Spokane in here is the dynamic that exists between the leadership and between the elders. And I know that Mr. Chek or Mr. Swaggerty or Mr. Iams, any of them can come to me. And if they have something to offer me that I need to improve on, I know that they're bringing it to me as a friend for my good, because they're looking out for the benefit of the congregation as well. So I appreciate the fact that we have a relationship that I feel I can go to any of them and to Mr. Mickelson if there is a need in that way and they to me as well.

And, brethren, it's a blessing. It truly is a blessing. I think it's a blessing for all of us, and something that I'm grateful applies within our congregations.

A true friend is someone that will honor you, they'll respect you, they'll hold you up, and they will tell you even when you're wrong. And it is a relationship to be valued. Final Scripture in Proverbs chapter 27. Proverbs chapter 27. Again, I encourage you to go through and read Proverbs. We could have spent the entire message only in verses from Proverbs. There's so much to say about giving and receiving and handling correction. I encourage you to read it through that perspective. Proverbs chapter 27, verse 5, it says, Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A true, faithful friend will be honest with you, they'll be looking out for your well-being and for your good. They'll offer legitimate correction because they are truly wanting to help you, not for ill will or for wrongdoing. And hopefully that's something that you and I can appreciate in the friends and the acquaintances that we have.

It's an important aspect to the relationships that we maintain. Can you approach them? Can they approach you? I believe, brethren, definitely it ought to be so. How we handle legitimate correction, brethren, is important. As we've seen, it has eternal implications in this life of repentance that we've been called to leave. Correction can come to us from a number of different sources and at different times and in different ways, and we may even be involved in the giving of correction ourselves. If correction is delivered and accepted in a proper manner, it can be a positive thing. It leads to growth and change. Solomon said, he who hates correction is stupid. Brethren, let us not be those people. Let us instead be among those who acknowledge and embrace correction as something that leads to positive changes and growth for the good. Ultimately, spiritual growth to eternal life in the kingdom of God. That's what we're looking for. God offers correction. Our fellow man offers correction. We ought to be willing to listen. There are times when we offer correction as well. Brethren, I hope the points have been helpful in helping to guide us to do so in a way that will ultimately lead to the desired end.

And that is a person that has been set on a course that is straight and right and true as we walk together on this course towards eternal life in the kingdom of God.