Proverbs 28 

Shoot Straight with Me

I grew up at Idlewild and have had the privilege of serving in numerous positions through the years. When I was in college, I was the outreach leader for our ministry. I personally called visitors and members who weren’t plugged into our ministry. One week, my Sunday School teacher asked me if I had made my calls. I told him that I had called everyone, except one young man who made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. I was pleased with myself that I had contacted everybody but this one guy, but my teacher was not quite as pleased with me as I. He proceeded to firmly rebuke me for my favoritism and my lack of compassion. His words really stung and, yet, God used that loving and firm rebuke to deeply convict and change me.

Proverbs 28:23, "He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue."

To rebuke or reprove someone is mentioned almost 30 times in the book of Proverbs. It is a helpful kind of verbal correction. We all have blind spots in our lives and need a close friend who loves us enough to shoot straight with us. That will only occur as we build intimate friendships and then give permission to our friend(s) to be honest with us. The one who rebukes and the one who is rebuked will both be blessed, as they sharpen each other to be more like Christ.

Has anyone ever rebuked you? If not, why not? Maybe you are keeping your Christian friends at a safe distance. If you have been rebuked, did you receive it? Did you repent of your sin and love and appreciate your friend, who risked his friendship with you to do such a thing? Let’s speak the truth in love.

--Mike Kahn