Correction is good!

Matthew 16: 23

Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

 

I guess you could say, that Jesus was pretty emphatic when he spoke these words to Peter.

I wonder what tone of voice Jesus used, when he spoke these cutting words?

Make no mistake about it, Jesus made it quite clear, that Peter didn’t have any idea what he was talking about.

 

How would we in the church, handle this kind of correction?

Most people would probably leave the church, if they were spoken to in this tone of voice.

 

A friend of mine in ministry told me a few years back, that the church has been way too nice—for way too long.

I wonder if we’d have the societal problems we have today, if wayward people were corrected, like Jesus corrected Peter?

 

This same friend, said they overheard one of their congregants, after a harder Sunday morning message say…. “I’m not sure I can attend a church, that brings this kind of conviction….”

Maybe that’s the problem in a nut shell. I guess if the spiritual shoe fits, maybe we should actually wear it.

 

What was Peter’s reaction? Was he disgruntled? Did he leave this band of merry men? Did he discontinue his membership?

No, Peter took the blows, and it was used to make Peter, the powerful man he became.

 

Maybe if we didn’t get so hot under the collar all the time, when someone spoke honest corrective words to us—maybe it would actually make us a better man/woman?

I’m so glad we didn’t see Peter’s response, as one who was holding a grudge—or one who got ticked off.

 

I wonder how much time do we waste, by refusing to receive the correction we actually need?