Correction
Reflective Reading: Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10
In the book of Proverbs there are 7 primary individuals presented. Each of these individuals represent most of the people in the world. They are the Simple, Knowledgeable, Wise, Understanding, Fools, Mockers, and Sinners.
Proverbs 1 Presents 2 Groups of 7 Children:
Simple
Fools Knowledgeable
Mockers Wise
Sinners Discerning
Everyone starts as a Simple person. The word “Simple” in Hebrew literally means a hole or hole in one’s head. It ranges in meaning from naïve, gullible, easily enticed, to thoughtless; a person who doesn’t think before he acts. It also means “fat head.” Like I said, we all start as a Simple person.
To become wise and discerning, a Simple person needs knowledge. This is the first step in growing up to become a thoughtful wise and discerning adult. To grow in knowledge, we must begin at the source of knowledge. The Bible teaches that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” The Bible also teaches us that the fear of the LORD is to hate what God hates and love what God loves. In Proverbs 8 we read:
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil, pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate (13).
I love them that love me (Wisdom); and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
As we begin to fear the LORD, we learn that whom the LORD loves he chastens, even as a son in whom he delights. When we stray from the knowledge of God or rather, stray from doing what we know we should do, he disciplines us. Even Jesus, learned obedience through the things which he suffered (Hebrews 5). I’m not implying that Jesus ever sinned, but he still needed to learn through difficult situations. In Proverbs three we read:
“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither be weary of his correction; For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth” If you are striving to follow the LORD, you can be sure that your life is full of “course corrections.”
The word correction and chastening appear three times in this Proverbs three. All together in just chapters 1-9, the words correction, chastening and reproof, appear twenty times! God is certainly making a point out of this repeated word “Correction.”
Embracing correction is the key to our character. This is where it starts. Without correction, children and adults will become either a Fool, a Mocker, a rebellious Sinner, or remain as a Simple person.
It is not easy to accept or embrace correction. If I could do it over as a parent, I would correct my children more lovingly. I would show them how much I delight in them so that they might receive my correction more willingly. The first time God the Father speaks publicly about his Son and to his Son, he says, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Another translation reads: "This is my Son in whom I love and take pleasure in." When our children experience this kind of love and public display of value, children will be more apt to receive correction.
When I was in my teen years my dad would always come to my basketball games. My dad was from the south and had a southern accent. He was also an Iron worker and for him to attend my games, he would have to drive from work several hours away and come with his construction clothes on. He would often show up with his green work clothes, smelling like grease and hydraulic fluid. His appearance was embarrassing to me. To make matters worse, whenever I would score a basket, he would jump up and yell with his southern voice, loudly, “That’s my son!!! That’s my son!” I was so embarrassed.
I so wish I could live those days over again. Knowing what I know now about a father-son relationship and how important it is for a father to take great pride in his children, both by showing them love and appreciation publicly and privately, I would have seized that moment when my dad yelled out “That’s my son!” and stopped, looked up at my dad, and yelled back, “That’s my dad! That’s my dad!”
Like I said earlier, even Jesus had to learn obedience by the things which he suffered. But his relationship with his Father was so close and so trusting and so filled with love and value, that he could trust him, even in difficult situations.
Correction—the key to character that unlocks the door to wisdom and discernment. This door opens most easily when the hinges are oiled with love and value.
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
