Chastisement

Do you ever get that feeling, while watching a fellow Christian with the wrong habit, to give them correction to let them grow more Christ-like but tend to draw back from it because he or she may take offence to it.
You probably have it in your head that they'll end up say something like: "Why are you judging me?" or
"You know it was just a joke, lighten up."

I was conversing online with a friend of mine earlier today. I've known her for a few years now and we talk from time to time. Today she shared with me something about a bad habit she had, something I had noticed when we first met. I'm glad to say that she now realizes that it was wrong of her and has made it up in her heart to repent of it.

But it got me thinking of something...
Are we willing correct those who need correcting regardless of what their justification? (I speak of those who are in the faith). Do we shy away from being an offence to others for the sake of friendliness?
An even more interesting question is, when was the last time you received correction from someone more mature in the faith and how did you take to it?

Receiving Correction

Scripture points to two types of person when it comes to correction:

Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

The wise and foolish are quite contrary, one to another and the book of Proverbs are really shows what they are.

For a foolish person, receiving correction is a problem since more than not, they are "wise in their own eyes" and "it's fine... don't worry about it".
The person correcting us isn't trying to embarrass us or humiliate us. Their first priority is to build us up spiritually. They see something wrong and they want to help. Now God will send correction anyway he sees fit, whether by brethren, through His Word, your God-given conscience (keep it sharp) or maybe even in a circumstance.
Nevertheless, it is for our own good.

Hebrews 12:5 -11 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

I'll give an example of myself. While in my 4th year of University and acquiring for skills in animation, I started to brag to one of my classmates about what I could do. My Christian friend, Garwin, came over to me afterwards while I was standing by myself and told me what I did was wrong, and I shouldn't be trying to exalt myself like that. How did I take it? I told him "Thank you", because I understood what he wanted for me.
It's like what most parents will probably do for their rebellious teenagers, but as teens (for those of us who are here) we've see it another way. It's strange too not only when they tell us not to do what we want to, but they usually end up being right in the long run.

In all honesty, correction is good for us to receive. It shows that God is caring for us, and it is better to receive it willingly.

Giving Correction

Giving correction isn't something for a person who thinks they are better of when they aren't:

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

It's really good when we can care enough to correct someone, however sometimes we may get angry for what our brethren may have done and say it in such a way that rather than them being more encouraged to continue in the Lord or even to do the right thing, they get offended and feel degraded.

Listen, none of us are perfect but the aim is to strive to perfection.
There is something my wife and I discuss sometimes and it's about how to talk to people.

"You can be right in what you say, but wrong in how you say it," she'd say sometimes, and I agree.

We have to consider for a moment, how would we want to the situation to be handled with us? Are we so "over-righteous" (holier than thou attitude) that we cannot care for them. It's possible to be like a Pharisee in how we reason with people.

Ecclesiastes 7:16  Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 

Paul spoke about how he would have come to the brethren in Corinth and basically asked them "Which would you prefer, A or B, A or B?"

1 Corinthians 4:18-21
18  Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19  But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21  What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

So let's really consider how we give and receive correction from our brethren okay, and remember, we don't belittle the sin but we pull out brethren out of it with love.

Jude 1:20-2520  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.22  And of some have compassion, making a difference:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 See also: James 5:20, 1 Peter 4:8

Bless God and God bless.