I am well aware of the uncomfortable feeling of someone approaching you, without you requesting it, and making a correction, a suggestion, or a criticism.
Sometimes we can react or take it in ways that are not appropriate.
For some of us, because of our personality, handling these circumstances can be naturally difficult.
I want to share a bible text that sheds light on how we should react in the event that someone corrects us.
Let’s read together from the book of proverbs:
Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
Proverbs 9:7-9
This interesting passage introduces us to three characters: the mocking, the wicked, and the wise.
The mocker is that foolish person who spends life without being interested in acquiring wisdom.
He lives and makes decisions without considering the consequences and in his foolishness despises the advice, carrying terrible consequences for himself.
When he receives a reprimand, advice, or correction, he reacts with an insult.
The reason for that response is that he doesn’t think he needs to change or improve anything because his own actions and ideas are already good enough.
He is wise in his own opinion.
In some cases, some of us may upon receiving a correction or criticism take attitudes similar to those of the mocker.
But it should not be so.
If we humbly consider the possibility of being able to err, if we understand that we do not have all the answers, we can then appreciate and value other points of view and benefit from them.
The second character, the wicked, can be that person who when met with a correction, criticism, or advice reacts by taking it personally and his reaction is hatred.
To this person, it seems impossible that his reasoning and actions could be wrong; his weak character then makes him consider that the cause of the correction is purely personal and not objective.
Instead of considering the observation, he closes himself to this possibility and responds by feeling offended and holding a grudge against those who willingly wanted to help him.
There are also people with me who at certain times can react like the perverse.
We need to grow in maturity and emotional intelligence to benefit from the wisdom of others.
The last character the text tells us is the wise.
The one we all want to be.
That person humbly accepts that he can’t always be right, that he doesn’t need to take things personally because he has the ability to separate his emotions from the arguments and ideas to analyze them.
That person is attentive to any opportunity to improve and benefits greatly from them.
Keep an eye out for tips to analyze them.
Let our prayer be to grow in wisdom and maturity with God’s help.
To be like the wise and before the corrections react positively seeing them as opportunities for improvement.
This is not to say that we will be through life doing what everyone tells us, because not every correction will be wise, well-founded, or assertive.
You have to be careful with that, it will always be necessary to use the wisdom and discernment provided by the Holy Spirit.
Let us, therefore, have a humble mind that is willing every day to do everything in a better way and react positively to opportunities for improvement.
Do you find it difficult to handle corrections, criticisms, or advices? What is your experience? Share in the comments.
A hug, God bless you.
