Receiving Reproofs with Meekness.
By Matthew Henry
"We must receive reproofs with meekness. If we do that which deserves rebuke, and meet with those that are so just and kind as to give it to us, we must be quiet under it, not quarreling with the reprover, nor objecting to the reproof, nor fretting that we are touched in a sore place; but submitting to it, and laying our souls under the conviction of it. 'Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness,' and 'an excellent oil,' healing to the wounds of sin, and making the face to shine; and let us never conclude that it breaks the head, if it do but help break the heart. Meekness suffers the word of admonition, and takes it patiently and thankfully, not only from the hand of God that sends it, but also from the hand of our friend that brings it. "We must not be like the reprobate Sodomites, or that pert Hebrew, Exod. ii, 14, that flew in the face of their reprovers (though really they were the best friends they had,) with, 'Who made thee a judge?' but like David, who, when Abigail so prudently scotched the wheels of his passion, not only blessed God that sent her, but blessed her advice, and blessed her: not only hearkened to her voice, but accepted her person. Though, perhaps, the reprover supposes the fault greater than really it was, and though the reproof be not given with all the prudence in the world; yet meekness will teach us to accept it quietly, and to make the best use we can of it. Nay if we be altogether innocent of that for which we are reproved, yet the meekness of wisdom would teach us to apply the reproof to some other fault of which our consciences convict us. We would not quarrel with a real intended kindness, though not done with ceremony, and though in some circumstances mistaken or misplaced. "You that are in inferior relations—children, servants, scholars, must with all meekness and submission, receive the reproofs of your parents, masters, and teachers; their age supposes them to have more understanding than you, and their place gives them an authority over you to which you are to pay a deference, and in which you are to acquiesce, else farewell all order and peace. "The angel rebuked Hagar for flying from her mistress, though she dealt hardly with her, and required her to return and submit herself under her hands. 'If the spirit of a ruler rise up against thee,' and thou be chidden for a fault, 'leave not thy place,' for 'yielding pacifieth great offences.' 'If thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth' to keep that evil thought from breaking out in any unbecoming language. Reproofs are likely to do us good when we meekly submit to them; they are 'as an ornament of fine gold,' when 'an obedient ear' is given to a wise reprover. Nay, even superiors are to receive reproofs from their inferiors with meekness, as they would any other token of kindness and good will. Naaman, who turned away from the prophet in a rage, yet hearkened to the reproof his own servants gave him, and was overruled by the reason of it; which was no more disparagement to him than it was to receive instruction from his wife's maid to whom to go for a cure of his leprosy. Meekness teaches us, when a just reproof is given, not to regard so much who speaks, as what is spoken."—Matthew Henry.