Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
MEMORIZE: “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).
READ: Revelations 2:1-7
In His letter to the church at Ephesus, the Lord Jesus Christ first listed all their strong points and sang their praise before scolding them. Although their weaknesses were strong, it was put in a right perspective. He ended up with praise and promise. There is a lesson here for all leaders. First, for a rebuke to achieve the desired effect in an individual’s life, it should be sandwiched between praises, commendations or promises. If you want to correct someone over a slip, mistake, or error, start with the things he did so well and the importance of his contributions. While he is savouring the praises, you can now point out the area he needs to look at and ways to enhance his performance. Anyone you correct this way will receive the correction gladly and would not have any reason to doubt your love and concern.
Also, praising before rebuking is another way of showing that as a leader, you have a large heart. You do not only see the wrongs, but you also see the positive and beneficial things that person has done. In fact, you see more of the good achievements and less of the faults. Some leaders rebuke erring subordinates in a way that you would think there is nothing good about them. That is demotivating leadership. No matter how bad a wife or husband is, there is something good about that individual. Focus on the good! Any time you make your subordinates feel they are useless, you drive them up a steep hill on foot. You may never get any good thing from them again.
Positive reinforcement is crucial in building winning relationships. In addition, praising an offender before talking about his fault is another way of saying that you believe in him. That is, if he could achieve these great or noble deeds, then he can overcome that particular weakness in question. Do you believe in your subordinates? How do you rebuke them when they err? Many people rebuff rather than receive correction because of the way it is delivered. The number of corrections your subordinates successfully receive from you shows your success level as a leader. How do you correct those you are leading?
KEY POINT:
If correction is well-packaged, it cannot be refused.
Bible in One year: Ezek 22-24
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