Why the Wise Get Wiser
Proverbs 3:11-12
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
Video for this week’s service can be viewed @ Sunday, August 21, 2022
“To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.”
Proverbs 12:1 NLT
It was the second time my architectural drawing teacher rejected my drawings for a home I was designing. This was an elective class in 10th grade and I had assumed it would be easy. On my blueprint designs he had arrows pointing to various spots and wrote, “This can’t be done. Follow the architectural rules”. I was furious. I believed my plans were credible and workable. I went in the next day to discuss my point of view and convince him I was right.
When I got there I unrolled my plans and began to show him how my ideas were a brilliant modification of current architectural practices. He listened patiently. Finally he asked me a question. “John, do you think that my 20 plus years of building expertise makes me worth listening to?” I cautiously replied, “yes”, but quickly started arguing to prove my point again. He listened for awhile but finally stopped me by saying, “I’m here to teach you the correct way to build something so it will stand the test of time. Your role is to learn it and apply it. Right now you are failing and will continue to do so until you accept that. What do you want to do?”
When someone confronts you about something you are wrong about, what do you do? Do you get defensive and start giving excuses? Do you walk away while dismissing what that person said? Do you begin to put that person down in your own mind and start looking for their weakness and faults? Or… do you try to see the truth of their perspective and learn from it?
I learned a valuable lesson from that teacher once I accepted his wisdom. He helped me see what I was unable to on my own.
This Sunday we will discover why the wise get wiser!
Grateful for you,
Pastor John