Home Pastors Articles for Pastors Biblical Stupidity and How Not to Be “That Guy”

Biblical Stupidity and How Not to Be “That Guy”

1. Seek input.

Be proactive. Create situations that are comfortable and disarming for people, then ask them what they see in you.

Then listen. Don’t use defensive speech (either outwardly or in your mind). Be quicker to consider what they say than you are to defend youself.

2. Take that input seriously.

Pray about it. Ask others about it. Think about it. Look to see if you can in fact observe the patterns they’re mentioning.

Then, after some time, bring it up with that person again and ask them if they’ve seen change. Showing that you’re considering what they’ve said will make them far more likely to offer reproof in the future.

3. Remember the reprover is the one taking the risk.

When someone is correcting you, he or she is the one incurring all the risk. If they are wrong, they may look silly. If they do it too often, they may look like a busybody. If they say something the wrong way, they may offend a friend they deeply care about.

They are taking all the risk, and they are doing it because they love you. So consider that when you respond to their concerns.

4. Remember that God’s ways aren’t yours.

He chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. Even if someone is spiritually immature, even if they haven’t taken out the log from their eye, even if they don’t speak the correction in gentle ways, God still may be in it.

To spurn the reproof because it didn’t come from the person you’d like or in a manner you’d like is stupid. Take the reproof. Love discipline, love wisdom.

5. Speak openly about your sin.

Acknowleding your shortcomings honestly helps people to see you’re willing to talk about your sins and not completely oblivious to the fact you’re still in need of growth. That may make it easier for them to come and speak with you.