September 19, 2022

Passage Read: 2 Corinthians 2-3
Meditation Verse: 2:4

Thought

True correction comes from love, and true love corrects those it loves, when they are wrong. Paul says he wrote things that grieved them out of his own grief over them, over their sins. He wrote them because he wanted to visit them in joy, not having to correct them when he arrived. Better to come and see them worshiping the Lord in truth and righteousness. But if he arrived and they had all kinds of problems, then he would have to spend his time rebuking and correcting them, and there would be no joy in that for anyone.

Application

It is far more pleasant to worship with those who walk in obedience to the Lord. Failing that, it is still better to worship with those who are humble and teachable. But those who refuse to listen to the Lord and are unrepentant, that is the hardest. My desire must always be to grow better in my walk with Christ, so that where I'm still failing, others can bring correction and we can still have good fellowship together. I must never be hard-hearted and stubborn, hating those who correct me. Not everyone corrects according to the Truth, so I do need to be discerning, but those who love the Lord and set an amazing example of Christlikeness need to be heard.