“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.”
– Proverbs 12:1
We live in a culture that hates reproof, rebuke, and correction. That isn’t just true of our broader culture that demands affirmation and celebration no matter how profoundly wrong we are. It’s especially true of American Christianity! We can be extraordinarily thin-skinned, defensive, and hostile in the face of biblical reproof. The Bible is crystal clear, over and over again, that if we love God, desire to grow in Christ, and are wise, we should WELCOME reproof and that if we don’t, we’re FOOLS!
Reproof isn’t about nitpicking, taking potshots, or criticizing one another over matters of taste or opinion about trivial issues. Reproof is the application of Scripture to something that is un-Christlike or sinful in another believer’s actions, words, or attitudes. Reproof is an act of love and discipleship from one believer toward a brother or sister in Christ. Reproof is an uncomfortable but necessary tool God uses for our sanctification. The Bible repeatedly commands us to use Scripture to refine one another in love.
Christians, we need to get over ourselves! We need to get over our sinful need to “always be right” or never be challenged. We need to get over our fleshly confusion that mistakes reproof and rebuke for disrespect and hate. We need to accept that becoming like Jesus is uncomfortable, difficult, and an ongoing process throughout our entire lives. We’re never “too old” or “too mature” for reproof in love and we need to not only stop hating it (and considering those who reprove us to be enemies), we need to learn to love it!