STUCK ON STUPID
PROVERBS 12:1
PROVERBS 12:1 NKJ
1 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.
OBSERVATION:
I knew that title would at least spark your interest.
But quickly, think of five people you know who want to be corrected. I'll give you a moment. Still thinking? How about three people? Or at least one more besides you?
The fact is it's hard to find someone who loves instruction, even if it means being corrected. Being corrected works against our pride and we can feel as if someone is stepping on our toes. And yet this proverb is bluntly direct. If you hate correction, you are stupid. That sounds so harsh to the ears of today. If someone tweeted that phrase, they would run the risk of being canceled.
And yet. And yet it's correction that helps us as much as anything else. We all want to know what we are doing well. Affirmation is a positive, powerful thing, but if we are going in the wrong direction, it's correction that helps us. I prefer not being affirmed into a ditch.
To be fair, some have dealt with abuse under the guise of correction, and that is totally wrong. We can be corrected without being demeaned. We can speak the truth in love without destroying someone.
A number of years ago, we had an Olympic diver and her husband attend our church. They have since moved away, but her words have stayed with me. She spoke of doing a dive and coming out of the water thinking it was a great effort. Only to have her coach correct her on some various points of her form. She said it would initially chafe her, but she would listen because she wanted to get better. She wanted to win.
When God's word corrects us, we have to rise above stupid. We must handle the initial sting and make the adjustment. God desires His best for us. To receive God's correction puts us on the path to progress.
PRAYER:
Dear Father, thank You for the correction of Your Word and Holy Spirit. Your heart is to help, and my heart is to improve. I am smart, not stupid.