“You cannot become the person God has made you to be in isolation.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 9, 2024
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. Proverbs 12:1, NIV
Don’t you love the directness of the Proverbs? Though parts of Scripture eloquently reflect upon the deepest wonders of life and mysteries of God, the Proverbs have both feet firmly upon the ground and invite us to think directly and practically about the lives we lead. Yes, we should meditate upon the fact that God in Christ is fully divine and fully human, yet we also need the Bible to slap us in the face and say, “Don’t be stupid!”
According to Proverbs 12, if you think your opinion is always right, you’re a fool. If you are so certain of the correctness of your beliefs and actions that you never allow anyone to offer a critique, you’re stupid. If you live closed off from the input and advice of others, you will never grow.
You cannot become the person God has made you to be in isolation. Discipline, at least the kind that is praised in Proverbs, assumes a life of community, mutual encouragement, and, when needed, gentle and loving rebuke. Of course, there are forms of discipline that are neither born out of love or offered for the good of the other. Parents can be cruel to children, friends can betray friends, and employers can punish employees. Yet abuses of discipline should not cause us to reject its true expression and redemptive purpose. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
The Christian faith is built upon the dual reality of human frailty and divine mercy. To be human is to be a work in progress, becoming by grace what Christ is by nature. We should never shy away from this truth or feel the need to hide it. The fact that you are still “in repair” doesn’t mean you are exceptionally flawed or broken. It simply means you’re a human being.
Be kind to yourself, and receive the gift of discipline, for it is in the loving words of redirection from others that we see our blind spots and become something new, a transformed and flourishing version of ourselves.
Prayer
Father, give us hearts that welcome discipline and long to grow more and more into the likeness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What is your typical reaction to correction and guidance from others? Do you bristle and stiffen, or can you receive it with an open heart of gratitude and thanksgiving?
Related Reading
Proverbs 3:11-12; Proverbs 13:18; Hebrews 12:11
Worship Resource
Phil Wickham: Hymn of Heaven
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
