The next verse expounds on these 7 powerful words. The idea is about faithful wounds from a friend. What!!! No thanks right. Enough wounds come from enemies. Why in the world would I want wounds from a friend. There have probably been some in your past who claimed to be friends but wounded you deeply. Then they walked, or ran, away and left you bleeding. A great gift though is when a true friend gives an authentic gift of an ‘open rebuke’, word of truth, in a private setting offered out of love and concern. Oh, it will be painful but, it is also painful to share as a true friend. I have a handful of men who are very true brothers in Christ and they have been speaking things I need to hear into my story for many years. I’m a better person for them being in my journey. Without them I could be prone to believing my own press clippings. We all could. The result would make me a very deceived man. I have a tendency to make quick, heart driven decisions. Let me tell you, when your decisions are driven by passion and urgency they can be very risky. In a few major areas over my life these friends have quietly taken me aside and checked my thinking, or lack of thinking. They have saved me from some major blunders as well as helped tweak my character. Today be sure you have those people in your life who have permission to rebuke or correct you otherwise go find some. #BeTheEdge
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” Galatians 6:1a NIV