Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 10; Proverbs 11; Proverbs 12; Romans 10
Scripture: Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
Observation: What a great verse! Solomon tells it like it is. There is a link between discipline and learning. By discipline, Solomon means the consequences and/or corrections that result from errors. We learn that from the second half of the verse, "he who hates correction is stupid." Solomon says, "if you hate to be corrected, you are stupid." Why? Because you don't learn from your mistakes. And if you don't learn from your mistakes, you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again without learning anything and that is certainly stupid!
Application: Correction isn't easy to take -- listening to others tell you where you went wrong isn't fun. But when you realize that benefit can be had by receiving correction, you want to listen. Embrace discipline, all kinds, and wisdom can result. If you want to stay the same (i.e. stupid), reject discipline in all its forms.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are faithful to bring us all opportunities to grow by sending people into our lives with insight and input that can help us to learn and improve. May we be good listeners and receive discipline in our lives as a gift from You.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
1 comment:
Matthew, thank you for this affirmation. I think it is especially hard for young leaders to hear criticisms, and even more so when they come from older people who often do not respect the young leaders. But one of the secrets that I have learned which has helped me to be grateful and graceful in response to criticism is this: my critics are doing me a favor by giving me their point of view. I have no other way to know their point of view other than for them to tell me. And when they do,I can see through their eyes -- what a gift!
Whether I agree with their viewpoint or not, I can benefit if I will but try to see what they see.
Because of this, I can thank my critic for helping me: "Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will think about and pray about what you said." By answering this way, I do not have to take a position on the substance of their criticism, but merely acknowledge their words and thank them. Thus I remove myself from any sense of defense or debate which could get contentious. I subsequently am able to give the substance of the criticism the prayerful consideration it deserves.
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