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Correct in Measure
Jeremiah 46:28
"Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished."
In the verse above, the words, "correct" and "measure" are important in understanding what God was going to do to Israel. God pronounced His judgment against Egypt, and Israel heard how God was going to make an end of Egypt's superpower status. However, God wanted Israel to understand that though He would punish them, that He would only correct them "in measure."
The word "correct" means, "to set straight, to make right, or to conform to truth." God was teaching His purpose in correcting Israel was to bring them back to truth. Moreover, by using the word "measure" He was telling them the process of His correction would be with restraint, and in a deliberate and proportionate manner. You can find in this illustration the proper way that we should administer correction.
First, because there is no perfect person, that means everyone needs correction. Everyone is a sinner, therefore, when someone does wrong correction must be administered. If you don't correct your child, follower or subordinate, you are hurting them for the future. Correction is needed so that they won't do what will hurt them in a greater manner in the long run.
Second, be sure that when you administer correction that you administer it under control. You should never correct anyone when you are angry. When emotions get involved in correction, then abuse will happen. Most child abuse happens when a parent is out of control. When your punishment is out of reaction and emotion, then it is no longer correction, but it becomes abuse. There must be self-control to properly administer correction.
Third, always correct according to the rules. Be careful about correcting your child because you are inconvenienced or embarrassed. The only thing you teach your children when you correct this way is that they were wrong because you were inconvenienced or embarrassed, and not because they broke the rules. Broken rules must be the only reason why correction is administered. The one being corrected must completely understand that the correction is being administered because they broke the rules. This teaches them that every time they break a rule that correction will follow.
Fourth, correct in a timely fashion. What I mean by this is that when you correct, be deliberate with how you correct. Let me explain. When I correct my daughter, I go through a deliberate process of correction. I send her to her room to think about what she has done. After a few minutes, I go to the room and explain to her why she must be corrected. Then she is told what her punishment will be, and after the punishment, I pray with her and we move on. Notice my deliberate process. My emotions are not administering the punishment, but the rules are. Whenever you administer any type of correction, you should be deliberate so that the one being corrected understands the gravity of what is being done.
The whole purpose of administering correction is to restore the one who has done wrong and prevent them from doing the wrong again. Correcting in a measured way will help to accomplish the purpose of restoration and prevention. Follow God's method of correcting in measure, and you will find the correction will bring the one who did wrong back to the right way.