Day 297: Child-Training

23 Oct, 2017

The Daily Word: Tuesday, October 24th, 2017
Jeremiah 44:24-47:7
2 Timothy 2:22-3:17
Psalm 94:1-23
Proverbs 26:6-8
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:  

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth… – 2 Tim 2:24-25

Sometimes compassion looks like correction. Being a disciple of Jesus doesn’t mean you’re a pushover. You still must correct those who aren’t in agreement with the Gospel; but correction must come from a place of gentle humility and love.

The catch with correction is that it matters how you do it. The word “correction” in our text today is the Greek paideuo,[1] which means to child-train. When Scripture calls us to “correct” people who don’t understand the Gospel, it doesn’t mean we are to verbally abuse them. It means we are to gently and slowly guide them to the truth, just as a parent trains a child. Discipleship means standing your ground, not lashing out! When you correct, are you correcting in love?

God has been so infinitely patient with us. In return, all He asks is that we would be patient with others.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for gently correcting me. You have raised me like a child. You have been so patient with me! Give me the strength and discernment I need to be patient with others.

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.

© Michael D. White, 2017. All rights reserved.


[1] Strong’s G3811