Being wrong is embarrassing. Even though we all make mistakes, we’re ashamed when we mess up. Because of this, we often get upset when someone corrects us. We would do well to remember the Bible’s counsel about being correctible. But we should also be humble and loving when correcting others. Knowing that being rebuked or corrected is difficult, we should be as gentle as possible. And we should do all we can to ensure we are helping, not hurting.
In 1 Corinthians 4:14, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians, “I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.”[1] Paul needed to correct the Corinthians but offered such correction out of love and for their benefit. Paul’s goal wasn’t to belittle or humiliate. When we need to correct others, we should have the same attitude. Even when others need to be rebuked and corrected, our goal shouldn’t be to shame them but to lovingly help them.
[1] WEB