Confidence and Humilty.

Proverbs 9:9

“Give instruction to a wise man,

and he will be still wiser,
teach a righteous man,
and he will increase in learning.”

There is a key characteristic of the wise and righteous man. There is a measure of humility in him. There is also a measure of confidence. I know we often don't think those two go together, I know it seems like they are opposites but in reality they walk hand in hand. To be humble is not to put yourself down. And to be confident doe not mean to raise yourself up either. True humility is seeing where your truly at, and confidence is knowing your abilities. There is also a confidence not in oneself but instead God. A man who is humble and confident does not lash out when he is given instruction or is taught. Because a wise person realizes that no matter how much they know, they do not know it all. And the more they learn the more they learn how finite their understanding is. A wise man becomes still wiser at instruction because he is open to listening without getting defensive.

But look at the contrast in verse 7. “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.”

A scoffer. I am trying to recall a scoffer from my life. And I wonder how many times I have been one as well. Maybe a scoffer is best defined as someone with a morbid sense of humor, or a bitter sense of humor. Think of those scoffing at Jesus on the cross. And that scoffing was born out of what? Jealousy and envy. What is the cause of those feelings I would suppose it comes down to insecurities. The Pharisees where always afraid of man might do to them. Whether it was politicians or crowds they often based their actions off that fear. And they often lashed out with words of abuse. They were what we'd call today “haters.”

And he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. I do not think I have gone through this luckily. I have not incurred injury by reproving someone as yet. Yet again though as with the Pharisees and Sadducees, when you reprove someone their true colors come out. If they are humble they will receive it with a grain of salt. However if you expose the sin of someone who is stubborn in their ways, they'll probably be plotting your murder.

Lets look at verse 8 “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.”

There is a season for everything, but usually if someone if scoffing, they are bitter about something and will not receive what you have to say. I never know if I have tomorrow to talk with them again. But sometimes I wonder if God wants me to wait for another time to tell someone something for this reason. However a wise friend is open to being reproved and actually would love it. Why? Because a wise friend knows you are their friend. A wise friend know they have faults and has been vulnerable with others about those faults. A wise man knows they have not yet gotten to where they want to be. I have heard it said we should never think we have arrived as Christians. We should never think that we know it all in other words. That's pride and it's a distraction. A wise person, a humble person knows that. And a wise person wants to keep growing. If I want to keep growing, I need to love being reproved.

I will say I don't like the process, I don't like to have the shell I hide in peeled back and letting anyone see where I need reproof. However I am honestly grateful for the people who have been reproving me and keeping me accountable. I don't know that I always act like the wise man, sometimes I am honestly the scoffer. However I want to be a wise women, who readily and willingly accepts reproof. I want to grow in wisdom and learning. And I want most of all to grow closer to God. Sometimes that means being reproved.

Application.
Be more teachable, trainable, and coach-able by accepting reproof without getting defensive.

How?
Tonight I will ask my room mates if they see me doing badly in an area of my walk with God to reprove me gently.