1 Kings 1:6
“(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, ‘Why have you done so?’ He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)”

Every one of us is a work in progress, and as such, we all constantly need the shaping hand of God working in us and working on us. God is the chief architect of our lives, and in His love, He sometimes has to chisel away at things in us that need remolding.

And that is where the problem usually is. Remolding is painful. Remolding involves breaking or cutting off things that need adjusting. This painful process is not easy, and understandably, we often push back on it. But we all need it.

To carry out this remolding, God will often use people. God will bring people into our lives whom He will use to correct us, speak into our lives, and discipline us when and where necessary. We should receive such men as God’s messengers to us.

Rebuking and correcting are not a fun exercise. Our human frame naturally dislikes this, and we naturally will do everything possible to escape it. But blessed are we if we accept rebuke and corrections, and learn from them, despite the pain.

Those who do not receive rebuke and correction often turn out incomplete and immature in their personality. They find it hard to respect authorities and are usually rebellious. These people are dangerous to themselves and dangerous to others.

If God has put you in a position to discipline, rebuke, and correct others, please do not shy away from this holy responsibility. It may not be appreciated, but you must still play your part. Do it lovingly and in a relationship, but do it even if it’s frowned upon.

This was the situation with David and Adonijah. We don’t know why, but David had not rebuked his son Adonijah at any time. The literal word translated as “rebuke” means “to cause pain.” Another version says, “to displease.”

David raised a rebellious, disrespectful, and dangerous young man in his home because he did not want to cause him any pain by rebuking or displeasing him. Imagine that! This was one of David’s big mistakes, and unfortunately, we still do the same thing today.

You are blessed when God puts someone in your life who can correct you. You are blessed when God uses people around you to help shape you. You are blessed when God chooses you as an instrument to lovingly correct someone around you.

Yes, it will cause pain, and yes, it’s not an easy experience, but we all need the Lord’s rebuke to make us who we should become. Let’s not run from it. And let’s love those who dare to be God’s agents in shaping us. We need this necessary pain of remolding.

@ChineduOranye
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