The art and craft of correction

The proof of the pudding in any relationship comes when correction is needed.

Whatever friendship means, whatever "band of brothers" means, even whatever "brothers in Christ" mean, the real substance -- if there is any -- is revealed with reproof.

Can the friendship withstand it? Or is the relationship a kind of poor man's Platonic ideal of friendship? Those kinds of ideals turn out to be illusions. After the reproof -- poof -- all is gone. What you thought was a haven turns out to be a desert island.

An island of make believe that you've been busy trying to make flower, and were frankly ill-equipped to do anything else.

You discover, not unlike the realization that comes upon some young people when they are no longer young, that you've been in love with a concept a love: after many years, you've actually known little of the real thing.

You discover that it is not unlike those Thomas Kinkade paintings: scenes of Something Somewhere that are oh so achingly beautiful. Except they are scenes of memories of times and places that never existed.

Paul conferred grace, mercy and peace upon Timothy because at stake were real relationships in the real world, not make believe ones in Platonic dreams.

How do we know this?

Because immediately upon conferring these substances upon Timothy, Paul didn't send the young man off to vacation. Rather:

... remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith ...

So now we see what grace, mercy and peace really are: They are the tools for the practice of an art. Perhaps they are even the very colors to be applied to the canvas of the artwork.

The art and craft of correction.

Real art and craft, out of which comes true works of art, not ones of make believe scenes.

How do we know this?

Because love is on the other side, love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Oh for apprenticeships that teach this kind of art and craft.

Logos2Go

1 Timothy 1.1-5 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.