Edits, Corrections & Rewrites, oh My!

​I used to think I was a good writer. In my role as principal I do a good amount of writing, whether it is for the our online posts, emails to parents, writing to other schools, or any of the many other avenues in which I need to correspond with people.

Often times I write and after checking it myself I am able to send it off. For other assignments I will have a person give it a quick read to make sure it looks okay and then send it out. Recently I did some writing that had more importance so I passed it on to my two expert proof readers, Mrs. Richter and Mrs. Stokes.

When I got it back there was more red and blue pen ink on the paper than black printer toner. Everything was underlined, crossed out, circled or written on. There was one whole paragraph that was completely scratched out.

I think it can be the same in our lives. Sometimes we think we are doing well and then all of a sudden the edits occur. Hebrews 12:11 tells us, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Just like the edits to my writing, the discipline we receive is for our own good. It helps us to bear more fruit in our lives. If I am stubborn and don’t listen to the suggestions then I will make mistakes and there will be errors in my writing. The same is true for my life. If I don’t want to listen to God’s discipline then I will continue to make the same mistakes.

No one likes to be told they are wrong. I didn’t like my paper being covered in red and blue ink with all the corrections. However, my writing will be better for it and my life will be better when God’s Word directs my steps, even when it doesn’t feel pleasant at the time.

​-Bob Koehne