THE HIGHEST FORM OF LOVE

6/21/2025

“For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” Hebrews 12:6 (NLT)

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1–2). In other words, the reason Papa God prunes is to increase your productivity. And this pruning, God’s loving discipline, often comes in the form of correction.

Let’s be honest: correction is a hard sell for many. Speaking in tongues doesn’t exempt anyone from a bad attitude. Christianity isn’t a Sunday show or a polished performance. It’s not a display of spiritual gifts, it’s a life of godliness. Anyone can “preach heaven down” on Sunday morning, but if bitterness or contempt still lingers in your heart, that’s counterfeit Christianity.

True Christianity is about humility. It’s about laying down your reputation to elevate others. There’s no room for self-promotion, it’s all about the Master’s will. No matter how anointed or knowledgeable you are, it’s still all by grace. God can raise up someone else to do what you do even more. So never see yourself as better than anyone or assume no one understands your “special calling.” That’s pride, and pride resists correction. Proverbs 9:8–9 says “Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.”

If someone points out your bad attitude, don’t spiritualize it or make excuses like, “That’s just my personality.” Any personality that does not reflect godliness is not of Christ. If your behavior pushes people away from God, something must change. Don’t be deceived into thinking, “Let me be me, and everyone else should mind their business.” That mindset is a deception of the enemy.

Christianity is not based on personal opinion but on the Word of God. We are not called to live unto ourselves but unto Christ. Even if what you’re doing is technically not sinful, if it causes another to stumble, it’s still wrong. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:9 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”

That means you can be corrected for something that seems right, if it has negative consequences for others. Whether correction comes softly in private or firmly in public, receive it with gratitude. Every time you embrace correction with the right attitude, grace is released and your capacity for fruitfulness increases. Remember: correction is rarely pleasant to the flesh but it is always profitable for the spirit.

Even Jesus, though He was the Son of God, “learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). He didn’t always get His way. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked if the cup could pass from Him but He still submitted to the Father’s will.

Correction is proof of love. If those who are meant to correct you no longer do so, it may be because they no longer care. But if they do, rejoice! Because correction leads to promotion, and it is a non-negotiable part of spiritual growth and productivity.

Faith-Filled Confession

Henceforth, I receive correction with the right attitude with gratitude, knowing that God corrects those He loves. Therefore, I am positioned for promotion and increased productivity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.