Teachable

"The wise are glad to be instructed, but the babbling fools fall flat on their faces. People with integrity have a firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall." Proverbs 10:8-9

I had someone tell me recently, "I don't like being told what to believe." Regardless of whether we're being told what to believe or not, the reality is we're all going to ultimately decide for ourselves. So, I didn't really challenge the point. However, the "nobody's telling me anything" spirit does cross into the stupid zone pretty fast. If someone tells us to not touch the hot stove or to not run out into traffic and we do anyway ... you get the point.

In the verses for the day, the writer of the Proverbs draws one strong distinction between the wise and the foolish. The wise are glad to be instructed. The babbling fool isn't interested in being taught. Instruction is not on their "must have" list. We can learn through the wisdom of others or by crashing and burning ourselves. When the wise act on the instruction, they discover a firm footing while others slip and slide and eventually fall. 

I'd love to tell you that I'm the most teachable person in the world, but that would be less than honest. For some crazy reason, I think I have to learn the hard way from time to time. By God's grace, those moments seem to come at longer intervals. What's your pattern? My guess is, like me, God has put some wonderful people in your life who genuinely care about you and who would be a great resource for you to help navigate this crazy thing called life. Perhaps it's time to give them a call.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tested

"He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do." John 6:1-13 Test day. I remember all too well the feelings of discomfort connected to that expression from my school days. I was so thankful the last time I had to take one. Tests felt so much like a cruel game of, "Guess What I'm Thinking?" with the author of the test. During one particularly grueling test, I noticed one of my classmates cheating like there was no tomorrow. Predictably, he aced it and I let's just say, didn't. It occurred to me later that I was actually being tested in two different ways that day. By God's grace alone, I passed them both. Philip was in the hot seat that day. Jesus, out of the twelve disciples, decided to single him out for testing. From all appearances, there was a massive resource shortage. Five thousand men plus women and children all hungry up against whatever money Judas had in the money bag. Philip was apparently incredulous as he emphaticall
Read more

Nothing Left

"'What do you mean what's the matter?' Micah replied. 'You've taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!" Judges 17, 18 Unaware of some purchases that my wife had made earlier in the day, I didn't even hesitate to use my debit card at the checkout line. However, our bank was fully aware of all those purchases as well as the one I was attempting to make at the present moment. Clearly, the math didn't add up. Something from nothing is something less than nothing and that, as it turns, is frowned upon by our aforementioned bank. In short, the bank told the merchant there was nothing left and the merchant told me, "Declined." Micah was one panicked individual. His personal little self-directed and self-centered religion was coming apart at the seams. He had idols. He had priests. He had a shrine and even a sacred ephod (a priestly garment). All this, he thought, secured the LORD's blessing. When the warri
Read more

Who is Jesus?

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15, 16 NIV) What are your thoughts about Jesus? Every major religion on earth has an opinion on who he was. Mostly they say that he was a good man, a powerful teacher, and a peacemaker. All of that is true. But what about him being the Son of God? Peter, after being with Jesus non-stop for 4 years was confident of his identity. He was assured that Jesus was God in the flesh, the Messiah that was to come. You essentially have three options when it comes to what you believe about Jesus: 1) He was a Liar 2) He was a Lunatic (out of his mind) 3) Or that He was Lord If he was, and is, Lord, then he deserves our worship and our entire lives. If Jesus is Lord, it is true that we have access to God by His sacrifice on the cross. Join us Friday night at 7, as we reflect on Jesus going to the cross for the sins of the entire world (Good Frida
Read more