A rebuke is better than hidden love? Really?

TODAY’S PROVERB: Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Proverbs 27:5, TLV

Here’s one of those proverbs that makes me squirm. I don’t know about you, but I have a difficult time equating rebukes with love. Gentle correction? Perhaps. Steady guidance? Definitely. But, the forceful disruption that comes from a rebuke is more like a slap in the face then a warm and fuzzy.

Still . . . What if the rebuke was necessary? What if the strong interruption in our behavior was a tool our Heavenly Father used to test us, or just let us know we need to make a change? What if even a wrong rebuke was a lesson in forgiveness or humility?

Teach. Lesson. Tool. Test. Change. Forgiveness. Humility. Hmm. Aren’t these words our loving Father uses? He uses them as tools of discipline because He’s our Dad and He loves us. Even though it might hurt.

What if He didn’t care enough to send a rebuke? What if He decided to stand by and let our behavior run its sad, sinful course? As uncomfortable as a rebuke is, that would be far worse.

May we receive rebukes as an instrument of GOD’s love, my friends.

Proverbs 27:5 Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version – TLV, #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs