Just a fool

-
It is hard to meet a person who likes being wrong, or welcomes instruction. In fact, I do not think I have met anyone who likes being corrected. We have heard of phrases like "eating humble pie", which implies that the person was wrong and is being forced to be humble about it.

It is not surprising that kids don't like being told that they are wrong about something, because we as parents don't like it either. 

I am very sensitive to criticism; constructive or otherwise. I would rather do things perfectly than have to listen to how something was wrong or could have been done better. We like to pretend that we know what to do, when in reality - we are all really clueless.

The Bible has a lot to say about having a teachable spirit. 

Ecclesiastes 4:13
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.

Most of these verses have been written by Solomon, who was considered a great man of wisdom. Yet, he didn't listen to instruction and learned the hard way.

Proverbs 16:20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful. 

Not only does listening to instruction merit favor in the eyes of God, but it also comes with the promise of bringing joy. Why?
For the same reason as to why we instruct our kids. We know from experience - what is right from wrong. We see more clearly than they do. We know that certain things will never go the right way and only bring themselves and others heartache - no matter how convinced they might be to do what their heart desires. God, in his infinite wisdom knows what we do not know. 

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

The world tells us that the intelligent have their act together; they have answers to questions and don't need to be told what to do. The Bible, on the contrary tells us that it is wise to listen to instruction. Only a fool pretends to know everything. 

Jesus had this uncanny ability to take a person's understanding of something or any situation and turn it upside down to present something that was new and totally different. Let us not be so wise that we have become unteachable.

“I am sick to death of clever fools. Everybody is clever nowadays. You can’t go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become an absolute public nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few earnest fools left.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Generosity

-
Ever met a stingy person? Not in terms of gift giving or spending, but people who are stingy with affection, or stingy with acknowledging the good in someone else? Chances are, we don't like such a person. Chances are, we are that person (Maybe, not to everyone but to someone). I have been thinking about how one of my main triggers for the past year has been ingratitude. Like when you do things for someone, but they either blow it off or don't value it. When they find things to complain about and never have a good word to say.  When we are around generous people, it lifts us up. They raise us to be better versions of ourselves. I recently read a quote which stuck with me, "If you don't like what you are reaping, consider what you are sowing" . If we don't invest in something, whether a person, a task or a relationship, it dies a natural death. That is just the way it is. Generous people don't rely on the reciprocity of their actions to be generous. In most...
Read more

The paradox of Forgiveness

-
  “We see life as unfair and ourselves as its victims. We focus on the offenses others have done against us. And we fail to realize all these offenses pale in comparison to our own offenses against God, who not only forgives us, but both requires and enables us to forgive others and move forward free from the past. We should forgive as God forgave us, not once but many times.” This is the heart of God's forgiveness message. I wonder sometimes, what this means for victims. For people who are at the receiving end of others' sins. People dealing with years of trauma, abuse, neglect or betrayal. We all sin and fall short in many different ways, but forgiveness is more complex than that. The offenses that are done against us are wrong, simply because they are like our own offenses — wrong because they are done against God. To imply that our pain is not real or valid because we ourselves have done wrong, would be to negate the entire human race and the wrongs we inflict on each other...
Read more

Baby soft skin

-
Lately, I have been thinking that people have been in our lives for a reason , season or a lifetime . Typically, most folks fall in the first two categories. The " lifetime " people are maybe family and a few people here and there.  When Dev taught Sunday school, many of those kids were a huge part of our lives. Dev was heavily invested in them and cared for them, way more than a typical teacher. Gradually, he drifted away from what he used to do and these kids grew up and became adults and moved on with their lives.  Someone once told us that when you invest in these Sunday School kids, they will grow up and be there for your kids. I think this is mostly untrue. These young adults barely even know that my kids exist, let alone being involved in their lives.  Also, this is an unfair burden and expectation to place on them. Firstly, they are trying to figure out their own lives. They don't really have the headspace or inclination to be involved in someone else's kids...
Read more