Sorry.
If you want one of these, there's a water fountain in the back.
If you're dying of heat, please know that I won't be offended if you get up to get a
drink of water so that you can stay awake and alert.
And if you really need help, downstairs is still a little cooler.
So if you need to escape to that, again, please know that we do what you need to do this morning
to be able to engage as we look at God's Word together.
Will you pray with me?
Lord, this morning we come to you needy.
Lord, we need you to speak to us.
Lord, we need you to help us because our minds are unclear.
Our wills are stubborn and rebellious.
Our hearts run after many other things instead of you.
And Lord, I pray this morning as we look at your Word, Lord, that you will help us this morning.
Help us to hear what you have to say to us.
Lord, I ask for your help that you may speak through me.
Lord, I pray that together, Lord, we would learn from you this morning more of the way of wisdom
that you have set forth for us and of the great love you've shown us in the gospel.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, his words hit me like a slap in the face.
No, he won't, Matt.
I was a 21-year-old senior in college standing outside of Brown Hall, my dormitory.
I was in a serious dating relationship and had been processing with my discipler and mentor
about this relationship.
He was counseling me to not be foolish because I was being nitpicky and critical of a godly
woman who I was dating, someone who was worthy of better than me.
And I had just told him, well, I guess God will make it clear to me as I was weighing
my confusion of, do I keep doing this or not as we often do when we're young?
I guess God will just show me the way.
And he looked at me and he said, no.
No, he won't, Matt.
His words were a loving rebuke to me to not pass the buck of my responsibility to make
a mature decision in this situation to God.
They were wise words.
They were lovingly given.
And they stung.
And I wish I could tell you I listened.
But in the process, it felt like a slap in the face.
And that's what it feels like when someone challenges us, doesn't it?
Whether we call it correction, rebuke, reproof, or even just instruction, all those words are
words that the book of Proverbs uses, they still sting at the time.
But as some of my seminary friends would remind me, reality is your friend even when it hurts.
And it's better to know the truth about yourself particularly than it is to live in ignorance
and delusion.
We come this morning to the next sermon in our Proverbs series.
On the way of wisdom, on how is it that God has designed the world for us to walk rightly
before him.
What are the dynamics of his wisdom that shape our lives?
And we're into the topical part of our series.
Nick explained it last week.
I won't rehash it, but go back and listen to his sermon about why as we're looking at Proverbs
10 through 31, we're doing it topically.
And this morning, the topic is correction.
And again, that's the word I'll use, although there are many different words that the book
of Proverbs uses for it.
Even discipline, we heard it in the passage from Hebrews earlier this morning.
And what is this?
What is this correction, right?
Particularly in this context, it's a subset of words in the book of Proverbs.
It's how we use words to come to someone else.
Words help us.
Correction is words that help us by correcting our understanding, our assumptions, and our
perspectives, often about ourselves and how we live and relate to others.
In correction, truth is brought to bear to change us by helping us see things as they
really are.
So they're words that will challenge us in all sorts of areas of our lives.
How do we use our words?
How do we live out our relationships?
How do we steward our money, our wealth, our sex, our power, our entertainment?
Correction comes in every sphere of life with words to help us see what is really true and
right.
And so we hear from the book of Proverbs.
And because we're jumping around, I'll try to carefully enunciate what the references
are.
But if you're trying to take notes, I would recommend writing them down rather than trying
to flip through Proverbs to get them.
But you can also ask me afterwards.
I'll send you a list of the Proverbs that I'm using in the sermon if you need that.
Proverbs 13.1 says, a wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to
rebuke.
And Proverbs 12.1, which I think might be my favorite, whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Very blunt, isn't it?
Very straightforward.
This is what we're going to see.
That the book of Proverbs, in the book of Proverbs, God speaks to us words of wisdom saying that
correction is important in our lives.
As we explore it, we're going to answer two simple questions.
One, why do we need correction?
And two, what does godly correction look like?
So those are the two questions.
Hopefully you'll walk away with a little bit more understanding about those things.
So to begin with, let's answer the question from Proverbs.
Why do we need correction?
Well, I have three reasons for you.
The first reason is because we are by nature fools.
This is the word Proverbs uses for people who don't know God rightly and don't live
according to his ways in the world.
That is, because of our sinful nature, we have an unerring disposition to stray from God.
And in doing so, we are fools.
And so Proverbs 12, 15 says,
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
How true is this?
One of the reasons we need correction is because we think we're right all the time.
Have you ever thought about that?
As you enter into a conversation, as you try to solve a problem,
when you're doing it, even if you're uncertain,
at the end of the day, you're going to think,
Well, this is the best I could do, but this is the right thing to do.
Or I think I'm right about this situation.
We rarely think, I don't know anything.
I can't do anything.
We are right in our own eyes far too often.
The pride that rose up in Adam as he stood in the garden
and saw the temptation to doubt God and to think that he could be the one
who would know right and wrong, good and evil,
is in all of our hearts.
We foolishly believe that we're doing everything right,
and we desperately justify ourselves and our actions over and over again.
In a two-year-old, it looks like this.
No, daddy, do it myself.
In a teenager, it's the eye roll.
There aren't even words to express it.
Yes, dad.
I can't even do it.
In an adult, it might look like whatever.
But so easily, we dismiss other people
because we are so convinced that we're right.
And yet, in recognizing that folly,
we recognize this is why we need correction.
The second thing is because without correction,
folly leads to destruction.
So, Proverbs 13, 18.
Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignore instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is honored.
Poverty and disgrace,
the breakdown of our normal provision of our life
and of our relationships.
When we lack correction in our life,
when we want to go at our own and do it our own way,
the Bible tells us over and over again,
it does not lead to life, but to death.
And this is the foolishness of it.
Because we keep pursuing it,
thinking it's going to get us what we want.
And instead, what we reap is something much worse.
So, Proverbs 15, 10.
There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way.
Whoever hates reproof will die.
That's a strong word, isn't it?
But Proverbs says this over and over again.
The way of wisdom leads to life.
The way of foolishness leads to death.
And why is that?
Go back, listen to my sermon on Proverbs 8.
But it's because foolishness,
living apart from God,
is against the grain of the very world that he created.
And the very way that he created us to be and to live.
And so when we live against the grain of God's created order,
we live against the grain of the very things that God created
to be life-giving.
And so we end up in places of death,
relational death,
spiritual death,
financial death,
and literal death.
At times.
We need correction because we are by nature fools
who think highly of ourselves.
We need correction because without it,
we end up in destruction.
And thirdly,
we need correction because it's good for us.
Proverbs not only points out the bad thing
that we're headed to if we don't have it,
but it points out the good.
So Proverbs 6, 23 and 24.
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light.
And the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
To preserve you from the evil woman
and from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
If you remember back in chapter 6,
there were these women crying out.
These women who are images of wisdom and foolishness,
crying out and calling us to follow them.
They were seeking to entice us.
He says,
correction,
instruction.
Here,
you see the commandments and the reproofs of discipline
lead us in the right way.
It puts us in along the grain of God's created order
and it leads us to life.
And then Proverbs 24, 5 and 6.
A wise man is full of strength
and a man of knowledge enhances his might.
For by wise guidance,
you can wage your war
and in abundance of counselors,
there is victory.
So here the Proverbs remind us
that as we live out our lives
with the battles that we're facing,
the challenges that we're facing,
the things we have to overcome,
that wisdom gives us what?
Strength.
Knowledge that enhances our might.
And in an abundance of counselors,
there is victory.
The Bible knows very little
of the Lone Ranger
in American folklore.
The man who will go off,
the independent, strong man
who can go and do everything himself.
Instead, it says,
no, we need other people in our lives.
The abundance of counselors
brings blessing to us.
Think about this
in some other contexts in life.
If you want to be a ranger,
are you going to go like Rambo
and go train in the forest
or in the jungle by yourself
and think you can do it?
Even Rocky had a coach.
You know?
The ranger goes to training
where he has officers
and where he has others,
and they're telling him,
no, if you put your gun together like that,
it won't work.
If you try to kill a man like that,
he's going to kill you instead.
He needs that correction
so that he can be trained
that in the moment of battle,
he is now instinctively doing
what is going to be right and good
for him to do
what he needs to do.
Or think about a gymnast.
A gymnast jumps onto the balance beam.
He or she doesn't know.
She doesn't,
I guess he doesn't do balance beam.
So she doesn't know
how to do that herself.
She needs a coach to show her.
No, the line goes like this.
This is how you keep your balance.
Do these over and over and over again
with constant input.
Because then,
at the Olympics,
when they get up on the balance beam
with all the pressure,
this instinctive,
learned behavior
that's been corrected
and refined over time
by the constant input of a coach
produces the beauty and elegance
desired.
Maybe some of you are pianists.
My kids have been taking piano lessons
and it's been fun to watch them do it.
But one of the things that's amazing is,
right,
basic piano skills
have to do with things like
sitting up straight,
positioning your body right,
putting your hands.
You know,
this is not a piano player.
This is a piano player
for those of you who,
right,
they're very basic things.
But if you don't do them,
as you learn,
as you grow,
you might get away with it
for a while.
But as you try and continue
to progress,
you find out you can't become
a good piano player
when your form is terrible.
Without those basic skills
that are drilled into you
by practice
and with a coach
who's reminding you,
a teacher who's saying,
do this and this,
and here's the next step,
and here's the next step.
All sorts of areas
in our lives,
we require training
because it produces
what we desire
and what we long for.
And this is what the Proverbs
are saying
that God is doing for us.
Counsel and correction
are necessary for us
and they lead to good things.
Not only do they lead
to good things
in terms of the pattern
of our lives,
but also they,
lead to something better.
We experience love,
God's love,
and the love of others
in correction.
And so,
Proverbs 3, 11, and 12,
my son,
do not despise
the Lord's discipline
or be weary
of his reproof.
For the Lord reproves
him whom he loves
as a father,
the son,
in whom he delights.
Friends,
do you hear this?
When God disciplines us,
it is a sign
that we are his daughter,
we are his son.
It means we belong
and it means
that he has set
his love on us.
This is an amazing truth.
And when God uses
the instruments
of people around us,
the friends
who are better
than a brother,
who speak hard words
at time for us,
it is then we know
that they really
love us.
We don't always
respond to it well,
do we?
There are times
when just playing
in our pride,
we don't like it
when our faults
are pointed out,
when our shortcomings
are exposed.
We often feel
attacked or threatened.
We resist it
because we feel
like our identity
or our reputation
is at stake
in what the other person
is saying.
I do want to recognize,
too,
that some of us
struggle with correction
because you've grown up
in a place
where it wasn't
really correction
at all.
What you experienced
were harsh
and demanding,
condemning words,
words not to build up
but to tear down
and to destroy,
words of anger
and frustration
and of hatred.
And you may have
a hard time hearing
words of correction
because that's been
the pattern
that you've heard
all your life.
But I want you
to hear this morning,
those things
are not
biblical correction
and that is not love.
That is hatred
when we use our words
to attack
and to belittle
and to destroy others.
But godly correction
is actually a sign
of God's love for us.
And so,
for all of these reasons,
we need correction.
For all of these reasons,
we need this
in our lives.
leads us to the question,
do you think
that's true?
Do you believe
that when your friend
comes to you
and says,
hey Nick,
you were kind of
harsh in staff meeting,
something going on?
Did you mean
to say it that way?
Is that really
what you wanted to do?
This is hypothetical,
by the way,
not real.
Didn't happen this week,
so,
want to dispel
any rumors
that might be
forming in your mind.
But do you love it
when someone comes to you
and says something like that?
Do you welcome it?
Do you see it
as God's gift to us
and a treasure?
Listen to Proverbs 25,
12.
Like a gold ring
or an ornament of gold
is a wise reprover
to a listening ear.
Correction is a gift,
my friends.
It is a good thing.
So what then
does it look like?
What does godly correction
look like?
There are two aspects to it.
There has to be a heart
and there has to be
a pattern.
So we're going to talk
a little bit about the heart
and then about the pattern.
starting with the heart
then
Proverbs 27,
5 and 6.
Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds
of a friend.
Profuse are the kisses
of an enemy.
So this is now
putting yourself
not on the receiving
but on the giving end of it.
What is the heart
of correction?
It is the heart of love.
It is I love you too much
to see you continue
in this destructive pattern.
I love you too much
to let you continue
in your ignorance
that those words
or those actions
were good
or right
or productive
in your life.
It is not
fixing a problem.
What you did
bugged me
and I didn't like it
so I'm going to
correct you.
No,
that's not godly correction.
Faithful are the wounds
of a friend.
Someone who is committed
to you.
Someone
who is not your enemy
but your friend.
Do you see what
your enemies do?
Your enemies
don't say anything.
Your enemies
flatter you
and say
you're the best.
You never do
anything wrong.
We think you're
the most wonderful person
in the whole world.
You could never
do anything bad.
And as much
as our ego
would love
to have people
in our lives
who say that to us
that's not love.
In fact
Proverbs calls that
what an enemy
does to us.
They butter us up
so that we'll
continue to like them.
Real love
is willing
to expose truth
for the sake
of that person
and for their good.
I remember once
when I was on staff
I was challenged
to move positions
and to leave
one team
and go to the next one
and I was deeply
conflicted about it.
I had committed
to this team.
We were building
something that was exciting
and I
we had talked
a lot about
doing it together
for a long time
and about the value
of working together
with other people.
But then
leadership came along
and they said
there's a whole campus
there are 100 students
there's lots of opportunity
we think you can do this
you'll be the
you'll get to call
your own shots
there are all sorts
of different things
that rose up
in my mind.
So I made the decision
to go
and my friend
called me
and believe me
it was not convenient
it was the night
before I was leaving
on an overseas
missions trip
he was far away
so I was having this
literally a conversation
in a phone booth
alright
they don't even exist anymore
I was in a phone booth
and he lovingly said
Matt I don't think
this is the right decision
I don't think
your motives are good
I understand
why it's compelling
but I'm really
concerned for you
this doesn't seem good
and not because
we're losing you
but because it doesn't
seem like a good thing
will you
will you reconsider
and I listened to him
that time
at least for a little while
I still made the decision
to go
and you know
what my friend did
he loved me anyway
I came back
from the mission trip
having made the decision
and we sat down
and we talked about it
and years later
he married me
and today
he's still
the person
that I pick up the phone
when I have a major
life decision
to call
because he loved me
as a friend enough
to challenge me
and I was so thankful
for that
so part of the heart
dynamic
is this real love
seeking someone else's good
not just trying to fix
a problem
not just trying to remove
an annoyance
but for their good
Proverbs 29 1
exposes another
heart dynamic
we need to recognize
he who is often
reproved
yet stiffens his neck
will suddenly be broken
beyond healing
stiff necked is a great phrase
in the Bible
isn't it
being stiff necked
means
that you are
unteachable
and
un
unbeatable
I think it actually
is an agricultural image
that has to do
with a horse
that you can't turn
the neck
one way or the other
he will just go
the way he's going to go
no matter what
I'm not positive
about that
but I think
that's where it comes from
but being stiff necked
is pride
it's a great picture
of what pride is
I'm going to do
my own thing
in my own way
and Proverbs warns us
that in the dynamics
of correction
pride will ruin
the dynamics
on both sides
pride of the reprover
the one who's bringing correction
will bring condemnation
arrogance
all sorts of negative
content
pride on the one
who's receiving it
will make us fools
who refuse
to accept it
but when there's humility
when there's humility
correction works beautifully
when our hearts are right
we humbly give correction
that will invite someone
to respond
to process
and to change
and when our hearts are right
we can humbly
receive correction
receive it
and seek to
for it to do good
in our lives
so humility
is a critical part
love and humility
together
when they are working
in this process
of correction
is a beautiful thing
so that's the heart issue
now what about
the practice
well here we go
alright
if you're taking notes
here's where
the rubber meets
the road
these are pastoral
thoughts for you
Proverbs
even at this level
doesn't lay out
so much of a
paradigm
but this is what
happens
this is what
happens
when we practice
it well
in the giving
of correction
okay
it is spoken
humbly
that is
acknowledge
you are not
perfect
acknowledge
that you don't
know everything
be careful
to check
your own heart
so that you're
not doing it
for selfish
motives
we don't want
any church ladies
going around
going
tsk tsk
don't do that
tsk tsk
don't do that
that's not
helpful
and it's not
humble
so it needs
to be spoken
humbly
it also needs
to be spoken
clearly
you did
these things
you said
these words
you acted
in these
ways
that seemed
to me
to not be
right
or good
maybe
I didn't
understand
maybe
I miss
saw
maybe
there's
a sense
of
I'm going
to bring
you what
I saw
I'm going
to acknowledge
I might
have gotten
it wrong
but I'm
going to
bring it
as clearly
as I can
and in
that clarity
one of the
things I'm
going to
do is
avoid
the
you always
and you
never
this is
marriage
counseling
101
friends
if you
didn't
you always
and you
never
are
poison
in any
relationship
and particularly
in correction
you always
do it
this way
you never
do that
it's not
helpful
correction
when we
talk
in
generalities
it is
helpful
to talk
in
specifics
thirdly
I've already
referred to
this
but it
should be
spoken
without
assumption
of motive
or intent
I don't
know what
you meant
but when
you did
this
or when
you said
this
it
communicated
this
to me
is that
what you
meant
is that
what you
wanted
that's a
helpful
way of
correcting
it's a
helpful
way of
rebuking
or reproving
it invites
a relationship
and a
conversation
spoken
humbly
clearly
without
assumption
it is
spoken
aptly
this is
Nick's
word
from last
week
but
specifically
that is
timing
and setting
are important
generally
correction
should be
done
in private
not in
public
this is
why
moms
you should
take
your
child
out
of
the
grocery
store
to
discipline
them
even
if it
means
you
leave
the
cart
full
of
ice
cream
you
just
do
it
because
it's
better
because
public
correction
brings
shame
very
quickly
and
shame
can
destroy
the
ability
for
someone
to
receive
it
well
it
also
needs
to be
said
in as
timely
a manner
as
possible
do
you
remember
three
years
ago
last
Thursday
when
you
said
this
no
well
it
was
really
not
good
can
you
fix
that
I
don't
even
remember
what
I
did
timeliness
is part
of it
being
an
apt
word
so
don't
let
it
fester
maybe
you
need
a
little
bit
of
time
to
process
it
to
evaluate
whether
this
something
needs
to be
said
or not
but
if
you're
bringing
it
do
it
in
a
timely
manner
needs
to be
spoken
in
person
maybe
in
a
letter
if
you
have
a
fear
that
it's
going
to be
so
explosive
or so
difficult
that you
need
to write
it
down
but
even
if
you're
writing
it
down
in
a
letter
you
want
to
invite
then
a
face
to
face
conversation
as
a
follow
up
to
it
friends
maybe
this
doesn't
need
to
be
said
but
Twitter
is
a
really
bad
way
to
do
this
social
media
is
not
the
right
forum
to
bring
correction
to
one
another's
lives
it
just
isn't
it's
not
made
for
that
don't
let
it
become
your
main
means
of
communication
with
people
because
it
will
disallow
healthy
correction
in
your
life
in
person
allows
us
to
see
the
facial
expressions
to
hear
the
tone
to
feel
the
impulse
and
maybe
even
the
hug
that
needs
to
go
along
with
the
word
of
correction
so
do
it
in
person
and
finally
correction
means
speaking
courageously
because
you know
what
this
is
hard
it's
out
of
practice
in
our
culture
we
don't
live
in
a
culture
that
does
this
well
and
so
it's
hard
and
we're
afraid
of
rejection
we're
afraid
of
conflict
and
often
in
our
fear
we
don't
do
it
well
either
we
speak
either
too
strongly
or
too
weakly
in
the
moment
because
of
fear
so
we
need
to
ask
the
Lord
to
help
us
be
courageous
be
courageous
enough
to
be
calm
and
to
be
loving
and
to
invite
relationship
while
speaking
hard
truths
of
correction
all
right
that's
how
that's
how
it
could
look
like
that's
my
advice
to
you
on
how
it
could
look
when
you
say
it
well
how
about
receiving
it
well
what
does
this
look
like
well
you
know
it's
fascinating
because
when
you
look
through
the
Proverbs
they
have
a lot
more
to
say
about
how
to
receive
it
but
it's
almost
all
negative
what
does
that
say
about
us
right
this
is
the
problem
that
Proverbs
exposes
more
than
anything
else
so
we'll
look
at
some
of
the
ways
that
Proverbs
exposes
our
negative
reception
then
we'll
end
with
something
positive
right
how
do
we
do
it
badly
well
as
we've
read
we
stiffen
our
necks
we
become
defensive
I
didn't
do
that
what
are
you
talking
about
I
didn't
say
that
no
I
didn't
my
six
year
old
is
very
good
at
this
did
you
leave
the
refrigerator
open
no
did
anyone
else
touch
the
refrigerator
besides
you
no
the
refrigerator
door
is
open
I
don't
know
we're
so
prone
to
just
say
no
we
become
defensive
stiffen
our
necks
say
no
I
don't
I'm
not
going
to
receive
that
I'm
not
going
to
allow
that
to
be
true
second
thing
we
do
is
we
lash
out
at
the
person
who
brings
us
Proverbs
is
very
it
says
this
a
number
of
times
Proverbs
9
7
through
8
says
whoever
corrects
a
scoffer
gets
himself
abuse
and he
who
reproves
a
wicked
man
incurs
injury
do
not
reprove
a
scoffer
or
he
will
hate
you
reprove
a
wise
man
and
he
will
love
you
put
the
other
shoe
on
that
proverb
what
does
it
mean
and
we
know
we've
done
this
well
who
are
you
to
correct
me
I
know
you're
not
perfect
you
want
me
to
go
down
your
fault
can
I
point
out
all
the
ways
you're
not
doing
things
right
we
shift
into
attack
mode
so
quickly
when
someone
brings
correction
into
our
life
don't
we
and
we
often
try
to
shift
the
attention
in
order
to
hide
our
shame
we
attack
often
in a
desire
that
the
person
who
came
with
correction
will
run
away
in
fear
and
think
I
can't
do
that
anymore
I
have
nothing
else
to
say
so
we
stiffen
our
necks
we
lash
out
the
third
thing
this
is
fascinating
Hebrews
are
not
Proverbs
18
2
a fool
takes
no
pleasure
in
understanding
but
only
in
expressing
his
opinion
so
what
happens
when
someone
brings
correction
we
start
talking
wow
yeah
but
let me
explain
let me
try
to
get
you
know
and
15
minutes
later
the
person
who's
brought
the
correction
is
saying
did you
even
hear
me
at
all
because
it's
been
so
confounded
and
so
clouded
by
many
words
that
are
not
receiving
the
word
of
correction
but
are
trying
to
actually
evade
it
by
talking
about
our
own
opinion
yeah
but
let
me
explain
and
fourthly
some
of the
ways
we
don't
receive
it
well
we
avoid
proverbs
15
12
a
scoffer
does
not
like
to
be
reproved
he
will
not
go
to
the
wise
so
one
of
our
best
tactics
is
simply
to
avoid
them
that
person
spoke
to
me
once
and
they
tried
to
correct
me
well
I'm
not
going to
talk
to
them
again
I'm
going to
only be
in
group
settings
I'm
only
talk
about
superficial
things
I'm
going to
run
as
fast
as
I
can
that
friends
our
hearts
so
resist
this
dynamic
and
yet
when
it's
done
well
when
it's
received
well
it can
be
such
a
beautiful
thing
so
the
flip
side
of
those
what
does
it
look
like
it
looks
like
a
soft
heart
brother
sister
I'm
so
glad
you
said
something
I
didn't
realize
or
you're
right
or
I
don't
even
know
what
I
was
doing
but
I
know
I
need
to
think
about
it
and
here's
the
thing
even
if
50%
no
even
if
80%
no
even
if
90%
of
it
is
communicated
poorly
to
you
and
the
content
isn't
even
true
a
humble
heart
says
if
10%
of
that
is
true
I
want
to
know
it
and
I'm
going
to
receive
the
100%
and
I'm
going
to
process
it
with
the
Lord
I'm
going
to
process
it
with
other
people
so
I
can
find
the
10%
that
really
is
true
a
humble
heart
receives
it
even
when
it's
mixed
and
even
when
it's
not
well
done
being
thankful
for
it
the
second
thing
is
receiving
it
well
means
giving
a
gentle
response
to
the
messenger
I'm
so
thankful
you
said
something
this
is
really
hard
for
me
to
hear
but
I'm
glad
you
did
now
let me
put in
one
little
caveat
here
and
that
is
that
there
is
a
time
to
consider
the
source
this
is
where
the
internet
like
people
are
correcting
you
over
the
internet
you
can
probably
just
shut
it
down
like
just
don't
listen
right
because
trolls
and
everyone
else
are
going
to
be
criticizing
it's
become
an
industry
of
being
critical
and
unhelpful
and
destructive
ways
right
so
consider
that
it
also
means
that
the
man
walking
by
walking
by
your
life
you
know
just
passing
through
if
he
lobs
a
grenade
of
correction
in
your
life
you
want
to
take
that
to
the
Lord
and
say
Lord
is
there
truth
here
but
if
it's
your
best
friend
if
it's
your
spouse
if
it's
someone
who
knows
you
and
loves
you
and
they
bring
it
man
treasure
it
welcome
it
don't
attack
them
but
receive
them
and
be
thankful
for
them
so
a
soft
heart
a
gentle
response
third
a
commitment
to
listening
rather
than
explanation
oh
I
don't
know
what
you're
I'm
not
quite
sure
what
you're
saying
but
explain
it
to
me
more
can
you
tell
me
more
about
what
that
looked
like
what
did
you
see
how
did
that
affect
you
follow
up
by
asking
questions
and
it's
the
hardest
thing
to
do
in
the
moment
isn't
it
because
you
all
your
defense
mechanisms
are
going
I'm
putting
up
all
my
walls
and
you
know
the
doors
are
shutting
and
the
guns
are
getting
pulled
out
and
you're
like
I
can't
handle
this
and
to
turn
and
say
tell
me
more
it's
tearing
all
of
those
defense
mechanisms
now
it's
putting
the
guns
away
and
saying
okay
this
is
really
hard
but
I
don't
understand
yet
can
you
help
me
understand
so
commitment
to
listening
rather
than
explaining
because
explaining
is
putting
up
those
walls
and
pulling
out
the
guns
and
fourthly
it's
a
commitment
to
pursue
people
who
will
speak
truth
to
you
friends
this
is
I
think
what
the
writer
of
Proverbs
wants
us
to
get
this
correction
is
so
life
giving
it
is
so
good
it
is
so
beautiful
for
us
it
brings
us
from
death
to
life
it
brings
us
from
against
the
grain
of
God's
world
to
with
the
grain
of
God's
creation
this is
so good
so pursue
it
find
friends
who will
speak
the truth
to you
because
you need
it
desperately
and because
it's
good
for you
so
we come
to
Proverbs
15
31
through
33
the
ear
that
listens
to
life
giving
reproof
will
dwell
among
the
wise
whoever
ignores
instruction
despises
himself
but he
who listens
to reproof
gains
intelligence
the fear
of the
Lord
is
instruction
and wisdom
and humility
comes
before
honor
friends
here's the
good news
of the
gospel
correction
is
embedded
it flows
from the
very fountain
of the
gospel
truth
itself
because
God
does not
come to
us
with
flattery
oh
you
are
such
a
good
person
of
course
I
accept
you
and
bring
you
into
heaven
because
that's
not
the
truth
but
God
comes
to
us
with
truth
you
are
a
sinner
you
are
fallen
and
you
are
willful
and
you
are
broken
you
don't
know
God
and
you
don't
know
his
ways
and
therefore
you
don't
live
as
you
ought
to
as
you
were
created
to
as
you
were
redeemed
to
and
he
speaks
this
hard
word
to
us
in
the
gospel
of
you
are
a
sinner
and
under
God's
condemnation
and
it
helps
us
see
well
we
need
help
how
do
we
get
out
where
is
our
rescue
and
the
gospel
meets
us
there
in
that
moment
as
Tim
Keller
says
the
gospel
is
this
we
are
more
sinful
and
flawed
in
ourselves
than
we
had
ever
dared
believe
yet
at
the
very
same
time
we
are
more
loved
and
accepted
in
Jesus
Christ
than
we
ever
dare
hope
when
we
know
our
sin
we
finally
understand
how
great
the
love
is
that
God
has
shown
for
us
by
sending
his
son
Jesus
to
die
on
the
cross
for
us
he
takes
the
penalty
and
the
punishment
he
walks
the
path
of
the
fool
to
the
end
of
death
us
and
therefore
redeems
us
from
that
foolish
way
of
life
from
our
sinful
proud
stiff
necked
rejection
of
God
and
in
love
he
calls
us
into
relationship
with
him
whereby
now
we
have
a
new
life
that
comes
from
Jesus
rising
from
the
dead
and
from
that
life
then
we
have
the
new
power
of
the
Holy
Spirit
to
help
us
walk
in
these
paths
of
correction
and
of
growth
towards
this
life
that we
can
have
with
God
with
the
grain
the
way
of
wisdom
which
is
the
life
that
Jesus
promised
when
he
said
I've
come
that
they
may
have
life
and
life
abundantly
but
we
need
the
correction
of
the
gospel
if
we
will
ever
get
there
and
if
it
will
be
for
the
very
salvation
of
our
souls
don't
you
think
it's
worthwhile
in
all
the
other
areas
of
our
life
to
embrace
this
pattern
of
correction
because
in
it
God
is
doing
this
redemptive
work
in
us
of
helping
us
grow
let's
pray
Lord
we
do
ask
this
morning
that
you
would
humble
us
before
you
Lord
help
us
to
embrace
the
sometimes
prickly
gift
of
correction
in
our
lives
Lord
help
us
to
be
those
who
love
one
another
well
enough
to
speak
words
of
correction
help
us
Lord
to
be
humble
enough
to
give
and
receive
it
as
well
Lord
for
our
good
that
we
may
grow
in
the
way
of
wisdom
in
righteousness
and
being
like
your
son
Jesus
Lord
we
know
we
can't
do
this
apart
from
you
and
your
help
in
the
gospel
so
we
ask
for
that
we
pray
these
things
in
Jesus
name
amen