The Word of God Instructs Those Who Love Him! -- Proverbs 15:12-16, 20-23
The Word of God Instructs Those Who Love Him! -- Proverbs 15:12-16, 20-23
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 24, 2020
I remember well when I was in high school I developed pneumonia and had to miss over a week of school. When I got back I quickly caught up and studied hard in order to regain the ground I had lost. In a history class I had to take a midterm exam that I had missed. Afterwards I was accused by a classmate who took the exam with me of cheating. The teacher confronted me. I was shocked and hurt even though I was able to prove beyond any doubt that I had not done so. Her rebuke stung.
Receiving a rebuke is never something we look forward to and most of us do not like going through one when it happens. Within the pithy statements of Proverbs we discover over and over both the rebuke of God and the wisdom of listening to him. In reading Proverbs we discover that the Word of God instructs those who love him, let’s discover how this morning…
READ: Proverbs 15:12-16, 20-23
It is often easier to heap negativity on someone than to listen to what they have to say especially if it something we do not want to hear. Here we learn that…
I. The Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen! (Vv. 12-14)
A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise. A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
1. The old adage states that “God gave us two ears and one mouth therefore we need to listen twice as well as we are willing to speak!” Some of us rattle on without any thought to the words we use. This is often the problem of the news media and politicians. Those who feel guilt over their actions or who are caught doing what they shouldn’t be doing can often protest the loudest. The writer of Proverbs states that “A mocker resents correction.” The Hebrew wording here means someone who “scoffs” or who begins to make excuses for their actions without thinking it through and “he will not consult the wise.” The correction here is from God and wisdom they need is his! The writer had earlier written that “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. (Proverbs 9:7-8 NIV)” In fact, he knew that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)” And this is why we learn that “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” Those who love God and follow his ways are happier than those who go their own way and fall into the pitfalls of making excuses over and over again for their lives. In a world where it seems everyone has an answer it can become hard to discern the truth from fiction, especially if one spends too much time on the Internet Googling for facts! After all everything you read on the Internet is real and correct, right? Like the writer here I have learned that when we have the Words of the Lord for our guide we can often discern the truth from fiction. A heaping dose of Godly logic helps as well. The Proverbist writes that “The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.” In times of stress we can seek answers but fail to listen to the One who knows the truth. Like the Proverbist we need to realize that the Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen!
EXAMPLE: I came across a drinking mug on Amazon that had the inscription: “You can always tell a German, but you can’t tell them much.” It reminded me of my mother who delighted in teasing our father by singing a little ditty to him: “You can tell a German, you can tell the Dutch, you can tell a German but you can’t tell them much!” He came from German ancestry and she came from Dutch. We learned that the Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen!
II. The Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it! (Vv. 20-23)
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!
1. The writer turns to the notion of family and relates that “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.” This is kind of curious statement but it reflects how Jewish families worked and how individuals related within a marriage. Let me explain: Wisdom was highly prized character trait especially by fathers for their sons. Do not confuse wisdom with knowledge because you can have a lot of knowledge and exhibit very little wisdom. And wisdom is not necessarily gained by having more knowledge unless you are able to wisely use the knowledge you’ve gained! While father’s desire their children have wisdom, mothers are always dismayed by the foolish actions of their children. When we are deliberately foolish it shows that we do not care about the mother who raised us! As God’s children we are to make him proud of us by how we gain wisdom and how we use it. Wisdom, for the writer, remember comes from God but those who disdain it appear foolish. Some even go so far as to laugh or think they are being smart in being stupid so “Folly delights a man who lacks judgment” with the idea that a foolish man veers off course in life. Yet we learn that “a man of understanding keeps a straight course.” He stays true to what he has learned from the Lord. The Word of God gives direction to those who follow it! God can tell us over and over again how we should live but it is up to us where we walk! I find it difficult when folks come and ask for my advice because they usually do not really want to hear it, they just want me to agree with what they want to do in the first place! But we would do well in seeking the advice of wise godly counselors. Notice I said “wise godly” counselors. The Proverbist understood this truth and wrote that often “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” However this does not mean we go and ask everyone we know; he means we need to act wisely and listen to those who are both godly and wise because “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!” He teaches us that the Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it!
EXAMPLE: I saw one of those big old motor homes the other day that are about the size of a bus and it had a bumper sticker on the back of it that proclaimed: “Don’t follow me, I’m lost!” Sadly, that is far truer than some folks would care to admit. One can be lost in the direction that their life is taking and not realize it but they do not have to be. Jesus told his disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John14:6 NIV)” The Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it!
Conclusion:
The Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen! The Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it!
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 24, 2020
I remember well when I was in high school I developed pneumonia and had to miss over a week of school. When I got back I quickly caught up and studied hard in order to regain the ground I had lost. In a history class I had to take a midterm exam that I had missed. Afterwards I was accused by a classmate who took the exam with me of cheating. The teacher confronted me. I was shocked and hurt even though I was able to prove beyond any doubt that I had not done so. Her rebuke stung.
Receiving a rebuke is never something we look forward to and most of us do not like going through one when it happens. Within the pithy statements of Proverbs we discover over and over both the rebuke of God and the wisdom of listening to him. In reading Proverbs we discover that the Word of God instructs those who love him, let’s discover how this morning…
READ: Proverbs 15:12-16, 20-23
It is often easier to heap negativity on someone than to listen to what they have to say especially if it something we do not want to hear. Here we learn that…
I. The Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen! (Vv. 12-14)
A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise. A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
1. The old adage states that “God gave us two ears and one mouth therefore we need to listen twice as well as we are willing to speak!” Some of us rattle on without any thought to the words we use. This is often the problem of the news media and politicians. Those who feel guilt over their actions or who are caught doing what they shouldn’t be doing can often protest the loudest. The writer of Proverbs states that “A mocker resents correction.” The Hebrew wording here means someone who “scoffs” or who begins to make excuses for their actions without thinking it through and “he will not consult the wise.” The correction here is from God and wisdom they need is his! The writer had earlier written that “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. (Proverbs 9:7-8 NIV)” In fact, he knew that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)” And this is why we learn that “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” Those who love God and follow his ways are happier than those who go their own way and fall into the pitfalls of making excuses over and over again for their lives. In a world where it seems everyone has an answer it can become hard to discern the truth from fiction, especially if one spends too much time on the Internet Googling for facts! After all everything you read on the Internet is real and correct, right? Like the writer here I have learned that when we have the Words of the Lord for our guide we can often discern the truth from fiction. A heaping dose of Godly logic helps as well. The Proverbist writes that “The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.” In times of stress we can seek answers but fail to listen to the One who knows the truth. Like the Proverbist we need to realize that the Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen!
EXAMPLE: I came across a drinking mug on Amazon that had the inscription: “You can always tell a German, but you can’t tell them much.” It reminded me of my mother who delighted in teasing our father by singing a little ditty to him: “You can tell a German, you can tell the Dutch, you can tell a German but you can’t tell them much!” He came from German ancestry and she came from Dutch. We learned that the Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen!
II. The Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it! (Vv. 20-23)
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!
1. The writer turns to the notion of family and relates that “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.” This is kind of curious statement but it reflects how Jewish families worked and how individuals related within a marriage. Let me explain: Wisdom was highly prized character trait especially by fathers for their sons. Do not confuse wisdom with knowledge because you can have a lot of knowledge and exhibit very little wisdom. And wisdom is not necessarily gained by having more knowledge unless you are able to wisely use the knowledge you’ve gained! While father’s desire their children have wisdom, mothers are always dismayed by the foolish actions of their children. When we are deliberately foolish it shows that we do not care about the mother who raised us! As God’s children we are to make him proud of us by how we gain wisdom and how we use it. Wisdom, for the writer, remember comes from God but those who disdain it appear foolish. Some even go so far as to laugh or think they are being smart in being stupid so “Folly delights a man who lacks judgment” with the idea that a foolish man veers off course in life. Yet we learn that “a man of understanding keeps a straight course.” He stays true to what he has learned from the Lord. The Word of God gives direction to those who follow it! God can tell us over and over again how we should live but it is up to us where we walk! I find it difficult when folks come and ask for my advice because they usually do not really want to hear it, they just want me to agree with what they want to do in the first place! But we would do well in seeking the advice of wise godly counselors. Notice I said “wise godly” counselors. The Proverbist understood this truth and wrote that often “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” However this does not mean we go and ask everyone we know; he means we need to act wisely and listen to those who are both godly and wise because “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!” He teaches us that the Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it!
EXAMPLE: I saw one of those big old motor homes the other day that are about the size of a bus and it had a bumper sticker on the back of it that proclaimed: “Don’t follow me, I’m lost!” Sadly, that is far truer than some folks would care to admit. One can be lost in the direction that their life is taking and not realize it but they do not have to be. Jesus told his disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John14:6 NIV)” The Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it!
Conclusion:
The Word of God instructs those who are willing to listen! The Word of God gives direction to those who willingly follow it!
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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