Proverbs 15:32: "He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding."
I love a good clash of the wills. Pride has become such an acceptable part of society that arguments are judged based on winning and losing, not holiness or righteousness. I remember an argument with a friend in which we had both said our piece about a passage of the Bible, and I considered it done. We had agreed to disagree. Then, at the end of the conversation, the friend said "Since you have no response to me, I guess I won." Really? That's what Scripture reading has come to? Winning and losing? Who has the right interpretation? Let's flock to that author/preacher/church! I have actually heard conversations where Christians delight in the decline of some churches because they're the "liberal" or "conservative" churches and they "deserve" to fail. That's all pride. When we rejoice in correcting others but see no reason to train ourselves in the ways of God (including the rhythm of confession of sin and receiving God's grace), we despise ourselves.
Paul writes a long time after the proverbs that we are one body. When we rejoice in the calamity of other Christians/churches, it is like we rejoice when our left arm is broken because "we're right-handed anyway." It's ludicrous. Today, let our challenge from Proverbs be to spend more time examining our own walk than examining the walks of other people. Let's spend more time delighting in the disciplines of God (prayer, Scripture, fasting, serving, sharing our testimony, etc.) and gaining wisdom than critiquing the same disciplines of people around us. And may we all encounter God this day in an unexpected place.
What proverb jumped out at you from Proverbs 15?
Good morning Andy!!! Trying to catch up with you in Proverbs. Vs. 8 really caught me in this chapter.... It reminded me of your recent sermon on Jesus' prayer in the garden as being an "as usual" moment.
ReplyDeleteThe New Living translation has vs. 8 as: "The Lord hates the sacrifice of the wicked, but He delights in the prayers of the upright."
My thoughts: The Creator of the Universe delighting in my prayers???? Wow!!! Pretty amazing!!!!! Oswald Chambers in today's devotional titled "Friendship with God" from "My Upmost for His Highest" starts by saying, "The Delights of His Friendship. Genesis 18 brings out the delight of true friendship with God, as compared with simply feeling His presence occasionally in prayer."
I'm feeling challenged to do more "as usual" time with Him in prayer. Praying that He'll give me the desire of my heart to know and grow in my understanding of Him and to delight in Him as much as He says He delights in me.
Have a GREAT day in Him!!!!!!