What makes a coach or father happy? When their players and sons do what is right, even when no one is looking, even when they have nothing to gain from it.
It doesn’t mean anything, really, when a player does what the coach tells him to do when the coach is standing right there.
To do what the coach wants when the coach isn’t there…that’s a player who loves and respects his coach.
How does this happen?
Proverbs 29:17–“Correct your son, and he will give you comfort; he will also delight your soul.”
What does it mean to provide correction?
Well, it doesn’t mean berating your sons or players for every mistake they make. Instilling fear isn’t the point of leadership.
Correcting means setting up what has fallen down, restoring something to its designed condition.
Paul wrote to Timothy about how Scripture does this for us. And a good father/coach/leader should do the same.
So, correcting isn’t just about pointing out an error; it’s about building up the young man who made the mistake, helping him avoid it in the future. Wrong thinking, actions, and attitudes need to be corrected with the grace of Jesus Christ.
But it’s a two-way street. We not only need to provide correction for those who follow us…we also need to receive correction from those who lead us. That takes humility, repentance, and perseverance.
Those who receive correction bring great joy to those who lead them, and ultimately to the Father who created them.
Lord Jesus, help me correct with grace, as you do. Help me receive correction with humility. Amen.
