Setting Things Aright

I looked out in dismay at the damage.  Hurricaine Hermine had wreaked a little havoc on my backyard.  I had a good-sized Dogwood branch covering my back deck, but that wasn't my main concern. No.  My main concern was my garden.

Peering out my kitchen window, I saw a large clump of vegetation where my rows used to exist.  I picked my chin up off the floor and headed out back.  It was just as I had suspected. The winds had knocked down the posts holding the tomatoes, so they were a jumbled mess.  The peppers were a mess, too.  The stalks had collapsed under the pressure of the large fruit, strong winds and heavy rains.  Most of the branches were touching the ground - too heavy to pull themselves aright.

So, I set to work, staking and gently persuading the plants back into an upright position. Now, the garden is back to normal.  All it took was a little nudge here and there, as well as a little know-how to turn it all around.  I didn't lose a thing.

However, on occasions in the past, I have lost plants after a storm. It wasn't through any real fault of my own.  It was simply because they refused to be set aright.  The stalks broke at the base, unwillingly to yield to my hand.

All through the Proverbs, Scripture talks about that very thing - "correction" - setting things aright.  It has some pretty hard and direct words for those who choose NOT to heed correction (or discipline), and yet, it has some wonderful words to encourage those who do!  For instance, Proverbs 12:1 states: "Whoever loves discipline, loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 13:18 states:  "He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored." Let's do one more - Proverbs 15:32 states:  "He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding."

Now, based on those verses, who do you want to be - someone who listens to correction or someone who does not?  Of course, according to the Word of God, it would be foolish to say that we don't want discipline.  That would be like saying, "Sure, I want to be poor...and shameful...and stupid...and hate myself."

And yet, that's exactly how we respond to correction many times, isn't it?  We respond in anger and resentment with a "how dare you" attitude?  We choose not to thank the bearer of correction for seeing into our situation and caring enough to try and "stand aright" our behavior.  We don't even see the need for our own admonishment.  I hate to say it, but I am afraid we'd rather have a pat on the back, rather than a lift out of the dirt.

How ridiculous would it be for my pepper plants to look at me with disgust as I try to rescue them from the mud.  I'm sure it's not the most comfortable thing for them.  It stretches them and moves them in ways they are not accustomed.  However, it is the BEST thing for them.
 
So the next time someone tries to lift you or me "back up" or "correct" us, may we remember that Godly correction is not a terrible thing. It's much the opposite.  Plus, if we choose to listen to what's being said and yield to it, our lives will be blessed beyond what we deserve.

Father, correction is difficult.  I don't always like to experience it.  But Your Word tells me that Godly correction is necessary and needed.  Help me to listen to Your voice and yield to Your hand.  Amen.