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Invite Instruction
“Rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” Proverbs 9:8b-9
Wise people invite instruction. They understand correction and rebuke is necessary to grow in wisdom and righteous behavior. Without well-meaning instructors who are willing to get in our face, we only aspire to average at best. However, an invitation to mettle in my affairs defines authentic accountability.
Effective correction makes us uncomfortable at times, we become all the wiser as a result. Indeed, conflict is inherent in accountability. So, if your relationships are conflict-free, you can bet you are not being held accountable in the truest sense. Wisdom comes in the form of raw relationships that reek with loving reproof and the willingness to change.
It is out of a rebuke that you wake up and understand the realities you are facing. Your spouse is not nagging, just nudging you to act responsibly. Therefore, invite instruction and you will increase in wisdom and understanding. There are no regrets from wise recipients of reproof.
Furthermore, be willing to be the bearer of bad news. With love and grace go to your friend who has asked for your counsel, and give them the truth. Pray first, and then deliver the unpleasant news. It is much better for someone to see the error of their ways before they reach a point of no return. Talk to them and not about them.
Pray for them privately, and not publicly with a pious prayer request. It is a motivation of love that rebukes, and then it becomes a recipient of love. Your relationships will retreat in anger or rise to a higher level of respect through righteous rebuke. You take the time to prod another toward perfection because you care. Be respectful, instruct with patience, and one day the student may exceed the wisdom of the teacher.
Jesus said, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
Whom do I need to listen, and learn from their correction and rebuke?
About this Plan
Work can be both fulfilling and frustrating. It can be an instrument of God or a tool of the devil. Wherever work resides on the continuum of our satisfaction scale, it is a necessary component of Christ’s plan for our lives. The Lord knows in the wisdom of His grand design for humankind that we need work to keep us busy with what’s beneficial and to keep us from trouble.
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