He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. (Proverbs 15:32)

God’s reproof is consistent with His character. He reproves us to keep us on the pathway to blessing. God often “whispers” warning through His still, quiet voice, but He also speaks “audibly” through His Word and almost “shouts” His pleas during many of life’s great disappointments. He desires not to withhold any good thing from us as we walk uprightly with Him (Psalm 84: 11). He not only promises blessings, but He lovingly reproves us so that we keep walking toward those blessings.

As we look through God’s Word, it’s important that we come to a new understanding of His reproof. When we read one of God’s commands, it’s important to ask ourselves “why is God giving us this warning or this rule?”

Every time we find a command in Scripture, we will see behind it a loving God. He doesn’t give us commandments simply because He’s into authority and likes telling us what to do. Rather, God has given us His commands in order to protect us. For example when God tells us not to steal from one another, or kill one another, He is doing so because He wants to keep us from getting hurt or from hurting others. God knows that if we disobey His Word, we will suffer the consequences of pain and separation from Him.

Part of God’s plan for reproving us is His use of a loving spouse to give correction. Marriage without reproof is an accident waiting to happen. Without the freedom to lovingly speak correction within the marriage relationship, indulgence can go unchecked, selfishness uncorrected, and the entanglements of sin unheeded.

We should all heed the reproof God brings through our spouses, and we should thank Him daily for that part of the marriage relationship.

ACTION ASSIGNMENT
What can we do today to give ourselves and our spouses freedom to reprove one another as it is needed?

PRAYER: Father, thank You for wanting what’s best for me. Help me to take reproof from You and my spouse humbly. Help us to bring constructive reproof into our relationship. In Jesus’s name, amen.