Open Rebuke
Greetings,
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Proverbs 27: 5-6
Believe it or not these are two of my favorite verses in the Old Testament. They deal with relationship at a very deep and intense level. They speak of deep friendship and love. Friendship and love that transcend any situation that we may find ourselves in.
I really love verse five because it even works backwards……better is open love than hidden rebuke. I don’t know why I ever switched it around like that, but it surely fits either way. Better is open rebuke …. I totally agree with that. I would rather someone love me enough to publicly rebuke me, no matter the cost to my reputation, than I would have someone love me in secret. Let’s face it… there are sometimes in our lives when we need to be on the receiving end of strong words of correction. Who better is to bring this rebuke than a dear close friend? In times like those the only people that could really reach out to us and minister effectively to such a need would be a true friend. I am extremely thankful to have friends with such love and courage in my life and I am blessed to have been at times rebuked by them.
Why am I glad to have such friends in my life? Friends that would challenge and rebuke me if needed? Simply because their wounds can be trusted. If someone comes to me in the Spirit of love and with respect I could receive about any message from this person. Be it good news or bad I would trust them, and even if they were wrong it would still be well with my soul. Yes- men I do not need in my life. People that would kiss my ass I do not want or need. What I do need from friends is gut level honesty. I need friends that are honest and true, even if I don’t like the kind of truth they are presenting to me.
True friends like that are not easy to find, but I have found many of them in totally open & free, Spirit led fellowship over the last thirty-some years. In most traditional/institutional “churches” scripture and right doctrine reign supreme at times even over Christ Himself. However, in a truly Spirit led church relationships with Jesus and one another are central to the life of the church. We are all called to be REAL and AUTHENTIC, but in most “christian” circles these days superficiality is what you get and most seem satisfied with that level of relationship. Jesus calls for much more than that, with Him and with one another. So why don’t we just go for it each and everyday? Give Him all your fears and insecurity and take a leap of faith by allowing others to see and experience the real you, totally free and uncensored. I started doing that over 35 years ago and I am never looking back. Does anyone out there want to join me on this grand adventure? If so buckle up, because it is a bumpy ride, but well worth the trip!
Love and ….
Kirk Out !
p.s. Right now I am extremely busy starting a new business with my son and navigating some difficult family issues. Because of this I may need to blog less often. If anyone wants details so they can pray effectively please send me a private message?
notesfromthebridge 
The message was really good. My daughter is my open rebuke….does she do it in love….not always or it doesn’t feel that way.
She is a straight forward no playing around, no sugar coated chocolate sprinkles on top type of girl. She does have my best interest at heart and I know that but Ouch….are the words that come from her mouth sometimes. God made her that way and I’m glad. She’s my angel on my shoulder when the devil is sitting on the other one, whispering what I really want to hear. Thank God for my daughter who loves me enough to openly rebuke me.
These are superb words. They get to the heart of so much that has gone awry. These verses show that underneath our words to others is either an existing relationship or no relationship. Words coming to another without relationship may be true, but they have no punch. Words coming out of relationship are powerful. We are all to be “easily entreated.” Do people feel comfortable coming to us with their doubts, fears, questions and their words that challenge us in some way?
Love that scripture
Sent from Windows Mail
Praying for ya!
What you said here is good. I came from a very judgemental background where judging was abused, misused and as i read over these words I felt that all too familiar twinge in my gut. Rebuking is a form of judgement and i know very few that I would receive it from. But you stated the most crucial thing that goes with this……wounds that can be trusted. The faith is not in the person, but rather the fact that God brought them through the “battle” that they received the wounds in. If I can see Christ in you or that your looking to Him as you go through your trials/tests/battles, then I will listen. If you (anyone who says they follow Christ) throw up your hands with everything that happens, then I will find it difficult to listen. That’s just years of seeing the wrong people “rebuking” a person before they looked in their own mirror first. Many times sfter beong an offence to that person and then going to them to rebuke them. I think that is where what Jon is saying about relationship, both with one another and with Christ.
I definitely believe this is what the verses in Matthew 7 about first getting the log out of your own eye so you can see clearly to get the sliver out of your brother’s. When you’ve come through the battle you know the pain of the removal of that log and you are VERY careful and steady when being used to extract something from someone else’s….no matter how big or small. Relationship. Amen, love, “BK”
Amen, Sis! Love you!