He who hates reproof is stupid

Proverbs 12 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid.
² A good man will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a man who devises evil.
³ A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved.
⁴ An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.
⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶ The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ A man will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse mind will be despised.
⁹ Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
¹⁰ A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹ He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
¹² The wicked man desires the booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
¹³ An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will escape from trouble.
¹⁴ A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.
¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
¹⁶ A fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent man conceals dishonor.
¹⁷ He who speaks truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
¹⁸ There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a lying tongue is only for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
²¹ No harm befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.
²² Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
²³ A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly.
²⁴ The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.
²⁵ Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.
²⁶ The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
²⁷ A lazy man does not roast his prey,
But the precious possession of a man is diligence.
²⁸ In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.

Today’s Old Testament reading from Deuteronomy 30:11-18 says:  This commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.  “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish.    People can choose to disregard what the Bible and what God says. But no one, apart from the foolish, can argue with either its truth or logic. Proverbs 12, today’s text, begins saying:  Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.  Those who believe that they already know everything are unwilling to learn. Those who are unwilling to learn from the wisdom of God have in effect made themselves to be higher than God. In Isaiah 55:7-11 God says:  “Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;  So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”    It is true that what God has said will be accomplished. That He has, set before us life and prosperity, and death and adversity; that we will have one or the other based on our choice. We cannot, or at least should not blame God, when He has clearly set His way before us. He has given us the way to life and prosperity. We are foolish and stupid if we then choose death and adversity.   

The writer of Proverbs says:  A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor.
He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.  What God’s word calls the simple principle of sowing and reaping, the world calls karma. Galatians 6:7-9 says:   Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.  Proverbs says: The deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. The world says: what goes around comes around. Again though, it is a wise man who listens to counsel, while a fool is right in his own eyes.   He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.  Many today say that truth is relative; that it is subjective, or worse, that it is whatever you perceive it to be.  What we call things may be subjective, but still, calling darkness light does not change the truth that it is in fact dark. If it is 0 degrees, it may not be as cold as if it were -20, but it does not make it hot.  In Isaiah 5:20, God says:  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  The worst deceit spoken by a false witness is often self deceit. If some one is willing to lie to self and believe their own lies, how can they even recognize truth? If their truth is relative, then why should what they say be trusted?  

Proverbs says:  The precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.  God says: This commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it? God says:  Choose life. Why should anyone be foolish enough to choose otherwise? In John 14:6 Jesus says:  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”    The precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.  Choose to follow Him.

Thank You Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit for Your word which is truth. Thank You that while Your ways are higher than our ways, You reveal Your way to us. You tell us the truth and You show us the way to go. Even more, You are the way. Thank You Jesus that You died for my sins so that I could choose the way of life.  Amen.