A Man Who Can Be Corrected

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose. The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives. They prepare before it begins. Welcome to the men's morning devotional. Let's get into God's word. It's time to man up.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Good morning, men. Welcome back to our men's morning devotional. I'm Danny Burgos. And yesterday we talked about where wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. And today we're going one step further. If we want to become wise men, we have to be willing to listen, learn, and sometimes be corrected. Here's your manup moment. A wise man doesn't run from correction, he grows from it. Proverbs chapter 9, verse 8 says, Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you. Rebuke the wise and they will love you. Let's be honest here. Nobody really enjoys being corrected. Our first reaction can be to defend ourselves or point out what the other person did wrong. Sometimes we don't even want to hear the correction because admitting we're wrong can feel like weakness. But Proverbs gives us a completely different picture of a wise man. It says, rebuke the wise and they will love you. Why? Because a wise man understands that correction isn't always an attack, sometimes it's an opportunity to grow. And we see this throughout the life of Jesus. Jesus wasn't afraid to correct the people he loved, especially his disciples. Peter had moments when Jesus had to correct him. And the disciples constantly had things to learn, but Jesus didn't correct them because he wanted to put them down. He corrected them because he wanted to build them up. Think about Peter for a moment. Peter was passionate, confident, and willing to stand up for Jesus. But the reality is he also made some big mistakes. When Jesus told the disciples that he would suffer and die, Peter actually tried to tell Jesus that it shouldn't happen. Jesus had to correct him because Peter was thinking from a human perspective instead of God's perspective. And Jesus didn't give up on Peter. He corrected him, continued walking with him, and continued preparing him for what God had called him to do. Being corrected doesn't make you less of a man. Refusing to be corrected can keep you from becoming the man God wants you to be. Think about the people God has placed around you. Your wife may see something in you that you don't see. A pastor may challenge you. A friend may tell you something you don't want to hear. Even your children can sometimes reveal areas where you need to grow. The question is, how do you respond? Do you get defensive? Do you shut down? Do you get angry? Or can you stop and say, maybe there's something I need to learn here? That's wisdom. A wise man doesn't believe he has everything figured out. He knows there are blind spots in his life, and he's grateful when someone who loves him helps him see them. And we have to be careful about something else too. Because correction isn't always comfortable. But that doesn't mean every criticism is something we should accept. We need wisdom to know the difference between someone trying to tear us down and someone who genuinely wants to help us grow. That's why our foundation has to be God and His Word. Jesus was never controlled by people's opinions, but he was always committed to the truth. We need that same balance. Don't live for people's approval, but don't become so proud that nobody can speak into your life. The strongest men aren't the ones who never need correction. They are the ones humble enough to receive it and strong enough to change. If God is using someone today to show you an area where you need to grow, don't waste that opportunity. Listen, pray about it, and if it's wise, make the change. Here's your manup challenge. Think of one person you trust who has the courage to tell you the truth. And ask them this simple question. Is there any area of my life where you think I need to grow? Listen without defending yourself, pray about it and be willing to make one change. Let's pray. Father, give us humble hearts that are willing to listen and grow. Help us receive correction without becoming defensive. And give us wisdom to know what we need to change. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word. Now go live it. Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother. Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.