Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
It really isn't nice to call someone stupid, at least I tell my little kiddos as much. But sometimes we need more than nice, we need reality, we need to be smacked around a bit by some truth. Today I was reading and came across a great little Hebrew proverb which has the nerve to call some folks stupid. As I have been just this stupid guy in the past I thought it would be good to comment a bit.
The proverb is a love-hate saying. If you love a certain thing, then this will be generally true of your life...if you hate a certain thing, than this will be generally true of you. So what to love? What to hate? Here we are encouraged that if we love discipline, we will love knowledge. It is no coincidence that the love of discipline results in the love of knowledge. If one is disciplined and open to correction, then study, reflection, contemplation is possible...in the undisciplined soul life seems to become scattered quickly. When discipline and correction are in one's life - direction and focus can be garnered. A spazzed out, lazy, disobedient, foolish, non-resting soul ends up having great difficulty in making progress in important matters. Though beyond the scope of this post, there is indeed a morality to knowledge. If one is a liar, cheater, etc. and will not heed correction, he will struggle to learn how to be wise or aquire knowledge.
Now, what of the hate. In contrast if we hate (reject/despise) reproof we will remain in our foolishness and ignorance. To despise correction is the root of pride. A prideful person cannot learn for he feels he knows it all...therefore if you hate reproof - you are a stupid person. See, I told you it doesn't sound nice, yet it is true. And God said it to all us stupid people out here. It is difficult to receive correction, but in humbling ourselves under it, we realize we can make progress from being stupid to being wise.
So, listen to folks who have correction and rebuke for you...or just be stupid. Your call.
Some final thoughts which are related:
A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. Proverbs 17:10
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:5
Pray now that you have some wise folk in your life who will rebuke all the stupidness out of you. The grace of God brings such to pass for each of us. We just need learn to receive it - sometimes I think I just learn slower than others...