“Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” (9:8, NIV)
Sometimes we are too idealistic about helping others that we forget that there are some who just refused to be helped or to learn from their mistakes. Sound pathetic?! But this is true. Only God in His time will be able to perform miracles in some lives.
We can try to point out the problems, warning them about the dangers ahead but all these good advice will fall on deaf ears. Even though some recognize these warnings but they still continue with their ways of life. After many attempts to warn them, you will see them avoiding you as though you are a disease. If you do continue to perform your duty of love to rebuke them, you will not see them again.
Sadly, some of us are also the same. We don’t like hearing people commenting on our weaknesses because this sounds like negative instructions. We want to hear praises and commendations instead of instructions or well-meaning corrections. So instead of accepting such ‘kind rebukes’, we will find faults with the person who has risk this relationship to tell you the truth.
Therefore, there is a time for everything. Unless the person chooses to be wise and have the grace to listen, we should heed the advice from proverb. “Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” (9:9)
Be a wise person and learn from mistakes. Allow God and God’s people to help us to grow.
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Pray for:
Ps Lynda’s brother-in-law, Mr Fan Boon Sin who is now back with his family. He is still in a critical condition.
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