‘Whoever heeds correction is honoured.’ Proverbs 13:18 NIV
When someone corrects you, be teachable and not unreachable. ‘Let every man be quick to listen but slow to use his tongue, and slow to lose his temper.’ (James 1:19 PHPS) If you do the first two things, the third one naturally falls into place. If you are quick to listen and slow to answer back, you’re going to be slow to lose your temper.
‘Whoever heeds correction is honoured.’ So use your ears more than your mouth, and be willing to accept correction. The wisest people have a ‘teach me’ attitude and are willing to learn from others. You can learn from anyone, if you just know the right questions to ask. It is important that you never stop asking questions, because the moment you’re through learning in life, you’re through! Full stop!
Be teachable, not unreachable. Does that threaten you to learn from others? Do you get defensive when someone corrects you? Do you take every slightly negative comment as a threat? If you want to end up lonely in life, here’s a sure way: never admit your mistakes, never learn from anyone, and never let anyone teach you anything. Have you ever admitted to a friend, ‘Sorry, I was wrong; it was my fault’? Some people just aren’t able to say that.
The Bible says, ‘Humbly accept the word planted in you.’ (James 1:21 NIV) The word ‘humble’ here means ‘gentle’. When you approach God’s Word, you ought to approach it with a gentle, or humble, attitude that says, ‘Lord, I’m willing to be taught.’
SoulFood: Acts 1:1–3:10, Matt 26:36–46 Ps 118:19–29, Pro 15:33
word4today an adaptation of The Word For Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2023
