Loving Reproof
TOPIC: LOVING REPROOF
Read: Hebrew 12:4-12
MEMORISE: Now no chastening seems to be
joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless,
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness to those who have been trained by
it (Hebrew 12:11).
EXPOSITION
Paul in his epistle to Timothy, his spiritual son,
told us that one of the things that the Bible does
is reproof. This is reprimanding and punishing any
violation of its precepts. Actually, all children
always want to be loved, cherished and
pampered, if possible, by their parents. They want
overprotection, even when they err, most of the
times. No reasonable parent/guardians will accept
that. The Bible even admonishes us not to spare
the rod in order not to waste the child’s life.
Somebody says, “If a white man likes you, he
puts you to jail when you offend him!” God’s love
is not like that. He takes time to patiently correct
us in love. This is why we must allow love to be
the undertone in our attempt to rebuke others.
Correction differs from condemnation;
condemnation is not correction. “Oh no! You
ought not to do that.” “…you fool! You have done
bad… in fact, you are bad because you have done
what is not good!” The difference is love in the
former, whereas it is absent in the latter.
You may be in the position to blame, criticize and
condemn others now. Who knows, maybe, you
may later be blamed, criticized and condemned.
Love in your reproof and let the corrected not see
the correction as condemnation! Stay intact in
God’s will.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Oh Lord, let me not be a bastard who refuses
Your living reproof.
2. Lord, let me not waste away through
indiscipline.
3. Pray for children who are not actually heeding
the perdition but are not actually heeding the
warnings of their God-given parents, that God
should cause them to return before it is too late.
Read: Hebrew 12:4-12
MEMORISE: Now no chastening seems to be
joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless,
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness to those who have been trained by
it (Hebrew 12:11).
EXPOSITION
Paul in his epistle to Timothy, his spiritual son,
told us that one of the things that the Bible does
is reproof. This is reprimanding and punishing any
violation of its precepts. Actually, all children
always want to be loved, cherished and
pampered, if possible, by their parents. They want
overprotection, even when they err, most of the
times. No reasonable parent/guardians will accept
that. The Bible even admonishes us not to spare
the rod in order not to waste the child’s life.
Somebody says, “If a white man likes you, he
puts you to jail when you offend him!” God’s love
is not like that. He takes time to patiently correct
us in love. This is why we must allow love to be
the undertone in our attempt to rebuke others.
Correction differs from condemnation;
condemnation is not correction. “Oh no! You
ought not to do that.” “…you fool! You have done
bad… in fact, you are bad because you have done
what is not good!” The difference is love in the
former, whereas it is absent in the latter.
You may be in the position to blame, criticize and
condemn others now. Who knows, maybe, you
may later be blamed, criticized and condemned.
Love in your reproof and let the corrected not see
the correction as condemnation! Stay intact in
God’s will.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Oh Lord, let me not be a bastard who refuses
Your living reproof.
2. Lord, let me not waste away through
indiscipline.
3. Pray for children who are not actually heeding
the perdition but are not actually heeding the
warnings of their God-given parents, that God
should cause them to return before it is too late.
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