The Instruction You Don't Want to Hear
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, soften my heart to receive correction and give me the humility to accept instruction, even when it challenges what I want to believe about myself. Make me teachable.
"Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise."
The word translated "discipline" here is the Hebrew musar, which means instruction or correction. It's not primarily about punishment, but about the kind of teaching that shapes and redirects us. In ancient Israel, this instruction often came from parents, elders, or the community of faith, those who had walked the path before and could guide the next generation.
Proverbs 19:20 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Pastor Rodney Elliott made a critical point about this verse: when we hear the word "discipline," we immediately think of punishment, but the Hebrew word actually means instruction, specifically, instruction from someone wise, someone outside ourselves, and often instruction we don't want to hear. He confessed, "I'm real good at giving it. I don't like to receive it." That's the tension for all of us, isn't it? We can see clearly what others need to do, but when someone offers us correction or guidance that challenges our plans or exposes our blind spots, we resist.
Rodney's story about lying to his mother about talking to his music teacher captures this perfectly. His mom gave him clear instruction: go talk to your teacher and see if you can raise your grade. It was wise advice, the kind that would have required humility and effort, green beans, not apple pie. But he didn't want to hear it, so he nodded, ignored it, and then lied about it. The instruction was right there, available to him, but he rejected it because it didn't align with what he wanted to do. The scripture promises that those who accept instruction will be counted among the wise. Not those who hear it and ignore it, not those who nod politely and do their own thing anyway, but those who actually receive it and let it change their course. That's the guardrail we need, people in our lives who love us enough to tell us the truth, and the humility in us to actually listen.
APPLY:
Think of a piece of advice or correction someone has given you recently that you've been resisting. Maybe it was from a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or even a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit through Scripture. Write it down. Then ask yourself honestly: "Am I rejecting this because it's wrong, or because I don't want to hear it?" If it's the latter, take one step toward accepting that instruction, have the conversation, make the change, or at least pray for the willingness to receive it.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will eat my green beans this week.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Jesus, forgive me for the times I've rejected wisdom because it didn't fit what I wanted. Give me a heart that is soft toward correction and eager to grow. Surround me with people who love me enough to tell me the truth, and give me the courage to listen.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Share your prayer request and pray for others.