It’s Wednesday, October November 5th, 2025. Being corrected is never fun. I have never woken up praying, “Lord, please send someone to show me where I’m wrong today.” That just doesn’t sound like a great day. Correction pokes our pride. It exposes blind spots. It reminds us we’re still growing. Being corrected isn’t fun, but you know what’s even worse? Never being corrected. That’s way more dangerous and costly. That’s why Paul thought it was necessary to correct someone even if it seemed a little abrasive.
Today's Reading:
Job 28,29; Galatians 1,2
Scripture
“When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.” (Galatians 2:11)
Observation
Who is Cephas? The apostle Peter. One of Jesus’ closest friends. A pillar of the early church. And yet, even he needed correction. Peter was pulling away from Gentile believers because he was afraid of what certain religious people would think.
His actions were speaking a false gospel. So Paul confronted him directly. He wasn’t trying to embarrass Peter or prove superiority. He was restoring Peter to alignment with the true gospel and protecting the unity of the church.
Application
Whenever I use sandpaper, the level of grit matters. Different surfaces require different pressure, different handling. Too abrasive and I scar what I’m working on. But the right level of grit brings out the beauty that was already there.
There is a way to confront that wounds, and a way to confront that heals. The difference isn’t the truth being spoken—it’s the spirit in which it’s spoken. Like sandpaper, sometimes the grit needs to be coarse, sometimes fine—but the goal is always the same: polish, not destroy.
I don’t need to be afraid of correction—either giving it or receiving it. If I am never corrected, I will stay immature. If I correct without love, I will do damage. So before I speak, I need to ask: Is this for their good? And when I am corrected, I need to remember: this is God polishing me.
Growth is on the other side of humility.
Prayer
Lord, thank You that You love me enough to shape me. Give me a heart willing to receive correction without defensiveness or pride. And when I need to speak truth, help me do it with Your tone, Your grace, and Your purpose. Make me bold yet humble, and polish me to look more like You. Amen.
-Chris Kiriakos