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 Scripture for the day: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Thought for the day: It seems that these four rabbis had a series of theological arguments, and three were always in accord against the fourth.  One day, the odd rabbi out, after the usual "3 to 1, majority rules" statement that signified that he had lost again, decided to appeal to a higher authority.  "Oh, God!" he cried. "I know in my heart that I am right and they are wrong! Please give me a sign to prove it to them!"
 It was a beautiful, sunny day, but as soon as the rabbi finished his prayer, a storm cloud moved across the sky above the four. It rumbled once and dissolved. "A sign from God! See, I'm right, I knew it!"
 But the other three disagreed, pointing out that storm clouds form on hot days. So, the rabbi prayed again "Oh, God, I need a bigger sign to show that I am right and they are wrong!"  This time four storm clouds appeared, rushed toward each other to form one big cloud, and a bolt of lightning slammed into a tree on a nearby hill.
 "I told you I was right!" cried the rabbi, but his friends insisted that nothing had happened that could not be explained by natural causes. The rabbi was getting ready to ask for a *very big* sign, but just as he said, "Oh God...," the sky turned pitch black, the earth shook, and a deep, booming voice intoned, "HEEEEEEEE'S RIIIIIIIGHT!"  The rabbi put his hands on his hips, turned to the other three, and said, "Well?"
 "So," shrugged one of the other rabbis, "now it's 3 to 2."
 I love to be corrected, don’t you?  I can’t wait for someone to come up to me and tell me all about the mistakes I’ve made, the wrong conclusions I’ve jumped to, or the downright bone-headed ideas I’ve come up with.  And the older we get, the less we like it.  Perhaps that’s because we’ve supposedly accumulated enough wisdom by the time our hair is either grey or gone that we shouldn’t need correction.  
 And do you know what the greatest danger is in regard to this dislike for admonition or correction?  I think the greatest danger has to be success.  Yes, the more successful we are the less we think we need to be corrected.  The more we make decisions that result in advancement of whatever cause we have before us, the less likely we are to accept criticism from those who may have a different point of view.  That’s true of us as individuals and as organizations.  
 Every church organization, beginning with the children of Israel, seems to have inevitably gotten to the place where they were so convinced that they were chosen by God (and certainly were) that they were somehow above reproach or the need for correction.  And when that happened to them they could look Jesus in the eye and say, “We are children of Abraham (we need no correction)!”  They just knew they were special to God; their very success over the years confirmed their opinion.  They must therefore be right and anyone who would dare dispute that fact must be wrong.
 Let’s face it; none of us likes to be wrong.  But the Bible teaches us time and time again of the value of being open to correction.  When it comes to you, remember, Paul forgot his past failures and his successes for the sake of knowing Christ.  Pay no attention to the source of correction, be it friend or enemy – enemies aren’t constrained by sympathy.  And remember, correction, chastisement, reproof, all come from the Lord.  The great saints of the past learned to take a licking gracefully – maybe that’s why they were great saints. 
Now go take on your world.  -  Bill