Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 20, 2019
Rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. Proverbs 9:8–9
Wise people invite instruction. They understand that correction and rebuke are necessary to grow in wisdom and righteous behavior. Without well-meaning instructors who are willing to get in our faces, we only aspire to average at best. However, an invitation to mettle in my affairs defines authentic accountability.
Effective correction makes us uncomfortable at times, but we become all the wiser as a result. Indeed, conflict is inherent in accountability. So, if your relationships are conflict free, you can bet you are not being held accountable in the truest sense. Wisdom comes in the form of raw relationships that reek with loving reproof and the willingness to change.
It is out of a rebuke that you wake up and understand the realities you are facing. Your spouse is not nagging, just nudging you to act responsibly. Therefore, invite instruction, and you will increase in wisdom and understanding. There are no regrets from wise recipients of reproof.
Furthermore, be willing to be the bearer of bad news. With love and grace, go to your friend who has asked for your counsel, and give him or her truth. Pray first; then deliver the unpleasant news. It is much better for others to see the error of their ways before they reach a point of no return. Talk to them, not about them.
Pray for them privately, not publicly with a pious prayer request. Love motivates a rebuke and then becomes a recipient of love. Your relationships will retreat in anger or rise to a higher level of respect through righteous rebuke. Take the time to prod another toward perfection because you care. Be respectful; instruct with patience, and one day the student may exceed the wisdom of the teacher.
Jesus said, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for instructing me through others, give me ears to hear and a humble heart to receive and learn, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
To whom do I need to listen, learning from their correction and rebuke?
Related Reading
Psalm 141:5; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Timothy 4:2; Revelation 3:19
Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2
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