Responding to Correction with Grace
I watched my neighbor sternly call her dog when he turned the corner of the building. We could tell he stopped, because we could see his leash laying on the ground. The leash didn’t move. He stopped cold. He obeyed his master. I asked if he ever barked. She said, “Oh, yes! But I don’t correct him from afar. I grab hold of his leash, get down on his level and look into his eyes: “Stop. There is nothing to fear. You are safe. Now stop.” And he does. He responds to her correction with grace. Can we say that of ourselves?
Have you ever had a piece of broccoli in your teeth, but no one told you about it? It takes a caring friend to whisper, “You have something stuck in your teeth.” That tooth tip is meant to be helpful, not harmful. We are wise to recognize correction — either big or small — as a chance to improve, instead of a challenge to be rejected.
When you’re corrected, what’s your immediate response? Do you appreciate it or refuse it? I think it is telling about how mature we are in our faith and our desire to always be the best version of ourselves we can be. I might have been the one who was talking in class or passing a note in class. I’ll be honest. I didn’t like the correction I received. It was embarrassing to be called out. But it sure taught me a good lesson about NOT talking in class or passing notes.
Last Sunday, my Austin family and I went out to lunch after church. You know what impressed me? Not one person pulled out their phones to text or check their texts. What were my eyes seeing? I was seeing the results of my children’s correction to their children about “no phones at the table”. I was seeing conversation and laughter. Believe me, I’ve witnessed the times when the kids were corrected because they couldn’t seem to help themselves. It might have hurt in the moment a little bit. But what they learned to say is: ”Thank you. I’m being corrected because I’m loved.”
My son corrected me a couple of days ago because I was in a debate about how much I was being charged for something. I’ll admit I’m a penny-pincher. He said: “Mom, I spend that much on a couple of coffees. Let it go. It’s not a big deal.” I said, “Thank you.” I knew I was being corrected because I am loved.
God’s correction — the Bible teaches us not to be discouraged when we experience divine correction. Hebrews 12:5-6 says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one, He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.”So, when we feel those nudges from God like: “Child, you need to go apologize to your friend …” or “You need to forgive them….” we can learn to respond with the words “Thank You, Lord, for correcting me because You love me. Thank You for helping me become more like You. Being a child of God means God loves us too much to allow us to continue uncorrected. If human fathers discipline us and are respected, how much more should we submit to God?
Receiving correction isn’t always easy, but when we respond “Thank you” and leave it at that, we are responding in grace, even when others don’t say something gracious. That sets us Christ-followers apart from the world. So the next time someone gives you a piece of advice, corrects you, or points out the broccoli between your teeth, just say “Thank you.” And when the Holy Spirit nudges you about something you need to change, try saying, “Thank You, God, for caring enough to tell me about this because I am Your son/daughter.”
Job 5:17, “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”