CORRECTION FLUID?

“Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel: ‘Amos has conspired against you here within Israel; the country cannot endure all his words.'” –Amos 7:10

Are you defensive when corrected? If someone corrects you, do you make like a porcupine and stick out your quills? Is your first reaction to correction to justify yourself?

It is natural to react to correction in this way. However, if we have been baptized into the Holy Trinity, we can live supernaturally. By our baptismal grace, we can react to correction with thanksgiving, humility, and growth in holiness.

Being corrected can be an all-win situation. If we are corrected justly, justice is being done, and we have an opportunity to repent, love others more purely and authentically, and be holier children of God. If we are corrected unfairly, we can humbly suffer redemptively as Jesus did. To be sure, sometimes we must respond to unfair correction and “set the record straight” — not for the purpose of defending ourselves but for the well-being of others. However, to be corrected unjustly is potentially an even greater opportunity to grow in holiness than it is to be corrected justly. Therefore, let us proceed through life not trying to protect our precarious egos but maximizing our opportunities to grow in holiness and thereby be pleasing to the Lord.

PRAYER: Father, send anybody to tell me anything I need to know.
PROMISE: Jesus “then said to the paralyzed man — ‘Stand up! Roll up your mat, and go home.’ The man stood up and went toward his home. At the sight, a feeling of awe came over the crowd, and they praised God for giving such authority to men.” –Mt 9:6-8
PRAISE: For years, Martin and Sam have led Bible studies and prayer services in prison ministry.