Proverbs 25:12. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
Let’s be honest, nobody likes being reproved. Admonished. Corrected. Set straight. Held accountable. I know I don’t. Maybe because my reprovers haven’t always been wise. Especially as an adult. I’ve been ambushed at meetings where I was publicly reproved. I’ve been reproved without a whole lot of desire for gentleness or understanding. And then there’s the times of reproof where clearly my reprover just wanted to make themselves look good. None of these felt like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.
Can you relate?
Other times I’ve had wise reprovers. The phone call after the meeting to make sure I was OK, before challenging me on how I had acted or what I had said. The hours long meeting with the wise pastor who listened to my side, affirmed my feelings, and then reminded me that I was acting like Jonah. And, of course, the conversations with my wise wife who cares deeply for me, enough to not let me remain stuck in my selfish ways.
Who are the wise reprovers in your life? Who are the wise people who love and fear God and are able to correct you and set you on the right path?
Correction from wise reprovers is a great treasure – like a gold ring or an ornament of gold. The proverb is reminding us that having loving and caring spiritual friends who correct you is far more valuable than any monetary or financial treasure. Paul puts reproof under the purview of the church. We shouldn’t join a local church just because we love the style of the music or the substance of the preaching. We should join our lives to a local assembly of believers for the reproof. The correction. The church discipline.
Church discipline? Like excommunication? Hopefully not. Church discipline includes all spiritual reproof, not just the final step of removing a person from the church and declaring their salvation to be unprovable. Church discipline is a treasure, a gift to the church to be used to guide those who have listening ears. It begins with one-on-one reproof. As Jesus taught (and we discussed two days ago) when someone sins we approach them alone. We reprove in private. This wise reproof by the godly is the majority of church discipline. Or at least it should be.
Of course, the wisest reprover in our lives is Christ himself. Christ’s reproof indwells us by the Holy Spirit. Now, in Christ, Jesus himself is correcting you along your spiritual journey. The rod of the Good Shepherd should comfort us. As he indwells you, Jesus is using everything at his disposal to keep you from stumbling. Your conscience, your feelings, your mind, his word, his church, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Are you listening to him? Do you have listening ears? If you do, then you have a great treasure.
You: In what ways has Jesus been reproving you? Conscience? Church? Word?
You in Christ: How does trusting our salvation allow us to receive wise reproof with gladness, like a treasure of gold?
Christ in you: Have you joined a church or church group of wise reprovers? Those who will gently and lovingly correct you by the Spirit?
Pray: Father, I trust your correction by your Son and your Spirit. Keep me on the right path of your love and grace today. Amen.
To Live is Christ 