Whatever is already inside our hearts is what will come out when confronted with an error or corrected over a small matter.
Many people these days are "loaded for bear" meaning they have anger inside ready to emerge at the slightest attempt on the part of someone else to explain their behavior and how it affects others.
The culture as a whole has been trained by the self-esteem teaching that they ought never to accept or ponder a correction. They are entitled to praise and total acceptance of all their behaviors no matter how damaging, there is always an excuse given to allow for a lack of accountability.
No one can grow and change without correction and disagreement. The person who is always looking to be validated and refuses to engage cleanly in disagreement will be an angry person on the inside.
Those who are not angry on the inside do not snark and rage at others over disagreements. Wise people see disagreement as an opportunity to learn from others as well as impart their own wisdom to others.
Notice how immature our children's generation is in terms of discussing any matter to come to a mutual decision. It is nearly impossible in our culture to engage in disagreement to resolve a matter without someone becoming angry and combative.
When a culture as whole cannot receive correction there is loss of relationship, rational government decisions, incorrect and even destructive training in schools and even more sadly monstrous teachings against God's word in Christian churches.
The more we operate from the standpoint of feelings the more we disregard God's Word and bring paganistic advice to those in our sphere of influence.
Feelings are based on fleshly responses to stimuli, they often are not accurate leaving people feeling angry when there is no reason to be angry.
Feelings cause people to despise someone who has done nothing to them except dare to have their own views. When the innocent person has expressed their views innocently the hearer will interpret those views as personal attacks because they are not in agreement with what the hearer wants to believe.
When feelings become the go-to response those who base their attitudes on their feelings will misinterpret anyone who will disagree with them as the enemy.
We are living in a culture that thinks if they feel something that feeling must be accurate therefore there must be someone else to blame.
I knew of a situation in which a man corrected a woman in an e-mail about a wrong date she placed in her letter. He told her that she might want to change that date because it was incorrect. The response of the woman was to become angry and chastise him for the way he expressed himself. I read the letter and there was nothing wrong with the delivery, it was polite and kind but straightforward.
When we see this happening we know that the offended party is interpreting the comments of the man in terms of how she would do it if she were correcting someone, and that would be in angst and intimidation.
A narcissist sees every correction as a personal attack no matter how kindly it is delivered. When a narcissist does not want to be seen as in error about anything they will attack the delivery rather than the issue at hand.
Have you heard things like: "its the way you said it" when you are just being factual about something? How about "you are mean-spirited" when all you did was disagree in a calm and factual way?
When a narcissist is injured through correction no matter how mild they immediately go into personal attacks against your character as well as lying when they say "you said", but you didn't say what they claim.
One time I gave many scriptures to a woman to make my case about a particular topic. This woman came back to me and said; "you didn't even give scripture to prove your point." When I told her I did and sent the scriptures again she came back with insults against my character. Never at any time did I mention her character, I simply spoke the truth using God's Word. When someone does this we know they have lost the discussion and have moved into the blaming and intimidation for the purpose of causing a sinful reaction in us. This is all designed by the devil to cause us to sin. I did not sin in this conversation, I simply ignored her attacks and blocked her from my communications.
When we see someone operating this way in anger and lying against us we know one more word will not change their views. The best thing to do is leave them to the Lord and move on. Answering them according to their foolishness only makes us a fool just like them.
Proverbs 16:4-5 "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.…
Matthew 7:6
"Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Proverbs 23:9
"Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
Proverbs 29:9
"If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution."
I have experienced all of the tactics of raging fools who hated the truth. Yes, and I have watched a fool laugh at me for mentioning that we should trust the Holy Spirit and not our own minds.
We are living in a world now that is filled with fools and ragers, those who are living nearly entirely on the basis of their own feelings and personal desires. And, sadly many in the churches today are of this sort.
The only way to avoid becoming like these ragers is to avoid them and continue to speak the truth to anyone who will listen. Ragers will attempt to shut down our communication by making us feel guilty for telling the truth because someone became angry. Notice they blame the truth-teller and coddle the angry person?
Satan wants us to fear man, shut our mouths and allow evil to take over without any challenges. We are to be vigilant about proclaiming the principles in the Bible without our churches. Those who do not want to obey the Bible must be removed, but in our day this is rare so evil reigns supreme in the house of worship.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. ..."
Discipline for those who will not obey the Word of God is commanded in God's Word, it is not a suggestion but a command.
