“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” – Acts 18:26
Don’t be afraid to help a Christian grow through loving correction. Conversely, recognize that someone correcting you may well be trying to help you grow!
We live in a time and place in which people are increasingly afraid to correct others. Everyone is thin-skinned and easily offended. Christians are often among the worst! Our culture tells us that people who disagree with us hate us and that people who try to correct us think they’re better than us. What demonic nonsense! Correcting each other is actually a biblical mandate!
We are blessed with Scripture for learning and correction but we’re also blessed with other Christians who care enough to help us grow. Apollos was a fervent and accomplished speaker who was doing good things for the Lord. He was also incomplete in his knowledge. So a godly couple took him aside and gave him further theological education. It wasn’t humiliating, denigrating, or debilitating. It was empowering! They weren’t cutting him down, they were building him up. With this correction, Apollos was then blessed and sent throughout Greece to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
We MUST change our culture within Christianity. We must learn that correction isn’t attack. We must learn to crave godly correction. We should welcome the attention of those who see our potential and want to increase it with discipleship. Ultimately, correction isn’t about us, it’s about what’s best for God’s Kingdom. So, don’t hate correction. Likewise, don’t be afraid to offer loving correction in God’s Word. If a person won’t accept it, that’s on them, not on you. We must build each other up, but not with participation trophies, with the correct understanding of God’s Word. #FollowJesus