Consumed Lives

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."

Proverbs 12:1

 

I spent most of my early adult life having people try to correct my lifestyle, behaviors, and thinking.  Although many would say I had bountiful potential, I would spend the majority of my twenties living in active addiction.  With that, came people that cared about me, wanting to help.  Often, they would offer me advice or help in some manner, and my response was the same for a decade, "I'm fine" & "I know, I know".  Apparently, I knew everything!  I was the smartest guy I knew, and I knew how to do everything, and I knew everything that I had to do in order to achieve all the things in life that I wanted to.  But, that was the problem.. I knew everything.  I spent so much of my life, "hating reproof", as it is put in the portion of scripture above.  I spent so much time telling everyone about how much I knew, rather than humbling myself to the opportunity of humble correction.  And in turn, I in fact became the smartest, stupid person I knew!  The scripture above says that living this way makes the hater of discipline "stupid".  Now, in the sense we use this word, we often think of someone who doesn't know much, or maybe is lacking in common sense, or scholastic capabilities or achievement, but the Hebrew word used here that is translated "stupid", has a different approach.  In the Hebrew, the sense of this word stupid, is to become consumed.  So in a sense, when we become a person who hates to be disciplined and corrected, this same hatred of reproof makes us consumed.  I certainly think that this is a better overall description of how this verse has played out in my life.  It is often in life, that when we become so self-absorbed and prideful, thinking we know the best way to do things, that we often become consumed.  Our entire life becomes consumed by our own thoughts, wills, and actions.  We become so self-centered that we even begin to despise the correction and discipline that is offered to us by the ones that loves us most.  And ultimately living this way makes us blocked by the loving discipline that the Lord offers us.  In turn, this makes us alone and isolated, often becoming so filled with fear and anxiety that we are headed straight on the path of despair.  But, we ought to live consumed with the love of knowledge, peace, and joy, and be consumed with the understanding and trust that discipline is the way to sanctification.  The Lord says, that he who loves discipline, loves knowledge.  If we are to live the abundant and joy-filled lives that following Jesus promises, we are to take heed to this wise instruction.  May we all become lovers of discipline, and therefore, lovers of knowledge, trusting that the Creator of the universe wants to mold us and shape us, using discipline, to be more like Him.  And He is doing this to bring glory, honor, and praise to Himself, and a joy and peace filled, abundant life to us!  Love you all!  Praying for you and yours!  Have a blessed day, it's your choice!