Good advice need not be pleasant

The sign said, “Never trust a chubby personal trainer.” I laughed and said “Hey, watch it. I am chubby and kind of like a personal trainer.” I amused myself and considered my need for exercise.

Then I thought, do we really want to assume the only person who can advise us is the one who presents the message perfectly?

Many people have information that can be helpful to us. It is easy to resist them. It is easier to resist them if we can find fault with them. This does not serve us well.

In Proverbs 27:5-6, Solomon reminds us, it is healthier to have someone rebuke us openly, than to love us and keep their mouth shut.

We should consider it an act of faithfulness when a friend wounds us.

It is important to remember this instruction is to the listener, not the one who likes to be corrective.