A devotional book I was reading recently
asked the question: Who in your life has God used to help offer training, reproof,
and correction to you? At first I thought,
I'll just skip the question. I'd
rather just focus on the scripture. But then I thought, I am choosing to do this devotional, so I'm
going to submit to it, do the work, and trust God to use it in my life.
So I sat and thought about the question,
and what a joy it was! I thought about the pastor of my church when I was in
high school and college. He was a godly man who cared enough to call me out
when I was wrong, yet he was always respectful of my opinions. When I was in
college and making some choices that troubled my parents, this pastor and his
wife took me out to lunch and listened to my side of the story. They agreed
with my parents, but I'll always remember that they spent that time with me and
spoke to me with real love and--yes--reproof.
Then I recalled a Sunday School
superintendent who held us teachers accountable to prepare well and then to
visit our class members. We had periodic meetings to give a report of our
activity. In some ways, that was a different era in church involvement, but it
was good for me to have that regular encouragement.
I remembered a missionary friend who has
always been a role model to me in godliness and sacrifice, but a sacrifice that
seems more like joy than hardship. And then I thought of my current boss, who
keeps before us the word of God and our commitment to it as we lead young
people.
Young adults sometimes talk about
"adulting" (Isn't it interesting how almost any word can be turned
into a verb?) and making that transition from irresponsible youth to mature
adulthood. Well, friends, this is adulting: being grateful instead of resentful
for those people who urge us on to righteousness. These are people who love us
and love God enough to say the necessary things and ask the hard questions. And
these are people who keep coming back when we might wish they'd leave us alone.
Let us be grateful for them. Then let us
consider who we might similarly pester for the glory of God.
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