Proverbs 13:18

Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

The downfall of the person who ignores instruction comes about for two reasons. One, he remains an ignorant person. Those with knowledge will pass him by in competition. His ignorance will expose him to danger and traps. It will lead him along the wrong paths. Two, he loses respect before others. Only the fool ignores instruction, and foolishness is highly visible. Others will mock him and delight in his failure.

Conversely, the person who heeds instruction and reproof will be honored for the same reasons. By heeding reproof, he grows in knowledge and skill, thus gaining advantage over others who are lazy or foolish. He is also honored by others. It is the wise who prize knowledge and are humble enough to receive it; and wisdom is also visible, especially in the eyes of others who are wise.

If you want to win respect before others, then prove yourself to be a good student. And if you seek commendation from God, then humble yourself and learn from all experiences he grants you. Study his Word; learn from his servants, both those who are learned in the Scriptures and from the lowest of his servants. Seek God’s wisdom. Pray for it. Gladly receive correction.

© 2024 Tenth Presbyterian Church.

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in its entirety or in unaltered excerpts, as long as you do not charge a fee. For Internet posting, please use only unaltered excerpts (not the content in its entirety) and provide a hyperlink to this page, or embed the entire material hosted on Tenth channels. You may not re-upload the material in its entirety. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Tenth Presbyterian Church.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By D. Marion Clark. © 2024 Tenth Presbyterian Church. Website: tenth.org