Correction

Few people really crave correction; in fact, many people view it as a form of personal rejection and are naturally defensive when corrective comments come their way. However, being corrected is an indication that our choices regarding something are not adequate or acceptable for another person. Further, that other person who may be correcting believers are convinced they have a greater understanding about the proper way to complete an action. Additionally, it is also true that correction requires personal investment from the one offering correction; they must consider us worthy of the time spent to correct us. Most of us like to look as presentable as possible when we meet other people. Since this has an important impact on the way other people accept us, when a friend kindly says, “you have a spot of dirt on the rear of your pants leg,” or “your hair is ruffled in the back,” we usually appreciate this. These elements of disorder are usually things we would instantly change if we knew about them. The friend accepts us and wants others to avoid negative thoughts about us; these are attempts to be helpful. There are also times in our spiritual lives when things become amiss. A friend may make us aware of these things and encourage us to correct them. For our spiritual lives, it is only when we can realize and understand that the indwelling Holy Spirit loves us more than any other friend possibly could. Without Him, we can never understand the things that are amiss in our lives and the correction God wants. From this approach, we should cherish correction when the Holy Spirit uses other Christians to help polish us. The writer of Hebrews issued a strong statement about people who were adopted. “If you are not disciplined — and everyone undergoes discipline — then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” Hebrews 12:8 (NIV). We are wise to recognize that correction, whether large or small,  offers an opportunity to improve, instead of a challenge to be rejected. When someone, friend or not, offers a note of correction, or demands correction for words or actions, how do you first respond? A valuable suggested response might be, “thank you for making me aware of this.” In doing this, whether you agree at first, later, or never, you have acknowledged their input and it becomes your decision whether or not to change and how to change your words or actions. It also provides a way to stop their description of their objection.