From The Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

C’mon…be honest—can you take correction? In reading the account of Mary and Martha, we learn a lot from Martha’s teachable spirit. I’m afraid I tend to be more like Martha sometimes, thinking I have value because I am productive. But I have learned along the way that I have value simply because I belong to Christ! It’s not so much what I do; it’s who I am in Him!

So, like Martha, you too have some choices to make when you are corrected, rebuked, or chastened…you can receive it or you can refuse it. The Scriptures tell us to correct, rebuke and chasten one another—so what’s your response to all this? Usually, for most of us, it’s rebellion… “Don’t tell me what to do!” Even if you don’t say it out loud to the person correcting you, it is in your heart and swimming around in your head and you practically blow up holding back the anger at being corrected! An anger that is ready to explode out of your mouth (which sadly sometimes does).

Read the Mary and Martha account in Luke 10:38-42…that was some correction Martha received! It doesn’t go on to tell us what her response to Jesus was at that time, but we see her transformation into an obedient and worshipful woman in John 11:1-44 and John 12:1-11…a transformation we all need. Go for it…take it on the chin when Jesus corrects you…don’t let it make you bitter; let it make you better! Endure the fire…it’s producing pure gold!

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