January 9, 2023 - Proverbs 9:7-9

“Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return. Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt. So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.” Proverbs 9:7-9 NLT

Lord, we have all met the people who can’t be corrected. Even when it is done in the most loving way, all we get is an attack in return. Lord, we pray that there would be absolutely none of these negative traits in us. If so, open our eyes to them. It is not fun to be corrected, but we want to welcome it into our lives as we know that it helps us learn and grow. Help us not to become prickly when corrected. That is pride and we don’t want to give it any place in our lives. Even when we feel like the correction is coming in an attacking way, help us walk in the opposite spirit and not react with the same spirit that is attacking us. Help us walk humbly and respond gently, with love. If what is being said doesn’t ring true to us or we are having a hard time seeing what they are trying to correct, please help us to respond correctly. We want to come to you and process what was said with you. Open our eyes to any portion of it that is true and is something that we need to apologize for and change. We pray that for any portion that isn’t true that you would help us dismiss it in a way that doesn’t make the situation worse. We also pray that you would not allow us to let any lies attach themselves to us through this process. Don’t allow the enemy to be able to use them to control us but help us dismiss them away with your truth and be done with them. Teach us how to look for ways to grow and become more righteous. We want to be willing to pursue correction and know how to receive it correctly however it presents itself.

In Jesus name, amen.