Do you love knowledge or are you stupid? - July 14th, 2011

Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.

Proverbs 12:1

History and Context:

Yesterday I already discussed the history of the book of Proverbs. It was written by King Solomon, the son of King David. King Solomon was believed to be the wisest man who has ever lived. Proverbs is multiple, stand alone, nuggets of wisdom.

The Text:

The text here is quite straight forward. If you love knowledge then you love to be instructed, to be taught. If you do not like to be corrected then Proverbs is very straight in telling you that you are stupid. It is correction that allows us to learn and to grow. We must embrace this correction and surround ourselves with people who are not afraid to correct us when we are wrong. If you want more knowledge than find a teacher. Sometimes that teacher can be in the form of a book, but it is also important to find a mentor, someone who can teach and instruct you in real life. Someone you can ask questions to and get answers.

The Challenge:

Take some time to be instructed with an open mind. As mentioned before, this can come in the form of a book or a blog, but it is much better when you have a mentor who can speak into your current situation. If you simply do not have a mentor who can instruct you, then take time today to pray that God sends you one. It is important for us to be always learning and growing, and this can only happen through continued instruction and wisdom.

The Prayer:

Lord, I pray that you send me people who will instruct me and also be willing to correct me. Help me to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Help me to cherish correction and recognize it as the only way I will grow. Thank you Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!