Preparing To Receive Correction

Josh Kellso and Omri Miles are leading the singles and young adults in our new ministry, 414. I wanted to give the whole church a glimpse at what they are up to and also allow us all to be shepherded with the excellent content they are writing and teaching. This the first of two posts on giving and receiving correction.

Remaining teachable and willing to receive instruction requires consistent humility. The following ten practices detail strategies for preparing your heart and ordering your life in such a way that you are best prepared to receive correction whenever it comes.

Preparing to Receive Correction

Remaining teachable and willing to receive instruction requires consistent humility. The following ten practices detail strategies for preparing your heart and ordering your life in such a way that you are best prepared to receive correction whenever it comes.

Ten practices that will prepare you to receive correction:

1. Read Proverbs regularly (Pro. 1:1-6; 16:20; 17:24). This book was written with specific benefit in mind for young people (Pro. 1:4). The breadth of topics covered in Proverbs is more expansive than any other book of the Bible. Therefore, the one who regularly reads Proverbs (not to the exclusion of the rest of Scripture) will regularly cover a multitude of topics and thereby avoid a multitude of sins.
2. Form convictions early (Pro. 1:4; 4:3-4; I Tim. 4:12). Begin forming convictions (truths we are committed to believing) at a young age, especially convictions concerning humility, listening, submission, and learning.

3. Select wise FRIENDS (Pro. 13:20; 14:7: 16:22). If you purposefully distance yourself from foolish people, then you will be less likely to encounter foolish counsel. If you surround yourself with wise friends, then you are more likely to be receiving wise counsel when correction comes from those who are close to your life.

4. Value WISDOM supremely (Pro. 3:13-15; 16:16). The person who values and desires wisdom more than anything else will eagerly receive correction when it comes because he will see it as another opportunity to grow in what he already loves — wisdom.

5. TALK less often (Job 40:3-5; Pro. 10:19; 18:2). Intentionally talking less is a good way to position yourself to learn. People who practice restraining their speech are prepared to hear others well when being instructed.

6. Sincerely love DISCIPLINE (Pro. 12:1; Heb. 12:5-11). Knowing the benefits of discipline will arouse your affection for it. Discipline is proof of God’s love and our true sonship (Pro. 3:11-12; Heb. 12:5-11). It also allows us to share in God’s holiness (Heb. 12:11).

7. Kill PRIDE continually (Pro. 18:12; II Tim. 3:1-2). Pride is one sin that can always be found at the root of not heeding counsel. Going after pride everywhere it rears its ugly head in your life will prepare you to humble yourself in moments of correction.

8. Know WISDOM thoroughly (Pro. 2:6-8; 3:5, 7; I Cor. 1:19-21; 2:6-7; Rom. 16:27). The more thoroughly we know the truth about the nature of wisdom (God’s and our own), the better equipped we are to reject our own wisdom and choose God’s wisdom instead. God’s wisdom (a) belongs to God alone (Rom. 16:27), (b) is graciously given to us by God (Pro. 2:6-8), and is communicated to us in His word (Pro. 2:6; Ps. 19:7b). By contrast, our wisdom (a) is opposite trusting God (Pro. 3:5), (b) is synonymous with choosing evil (Pro 3:7), (c) is being destroyed by God (I Cor. 1:19-21), and (d) cannot save (I Cor. 1:21; 2:6-7).

9. Refuse sinful ISOLATION (Pro. 18:1). Determine to never isolate yourself from wise counselors (Prov. 18:1). This highlights the importance of keeping a close watch on your own life and heart (Pro. 4:23). If we have wayward desires that go unchecked, we will separate ourselves from specific people in the church and eventually the entire body of Christ (Mat. 18:15-20) in order to keep pursuing those sinful, rogue desires. This is also an extension of principle #3. Once you surround yourself with wise friends, resolve that you will not avoid them when they have to say hard things to you.

10. DEFER to others (Pro. 18:2; Rom. 15:1-3). Practice yielding to the desires of others, especially of those in authority over you. Take the opportunity to do this in significant as well as minor decisions. For example, if you want to eat out at one place, but your spouse or a friend would prefer a different place, choose to serve them and accommodate their desire over your own. If your are given the freedom to make a decision with two good, God-honoring options, but a trusted advisor encourages one option over the other, take the opportunity to defer to that person’s desire for you. Although, in these instances, no decision would necessarily be sin, you are growing accustomed to not relying on your own wisdom and deferring to others for love’s sake.