Good morning people who are humble enough to receive loving instruction.

Proverbs 9:8-9 MEV Do not reprove a scorner, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Wise people are open to and welcome correction.

Now, this is interesting, because this scripture says to rebuke (correct) a wise man. Let’s lean in.

You would think that a wise man doesn’t need to be corrected because he is wise. Rebuke (correct) a fool – yes – but not a wise man. But this is not what the Bible says.

Why?

Because wise people listen, learn and continue to grow. Wise people are wise because they acknowledge that they don’t know it all. Wise people are wise because they know they need others to walk with them and to help them become more like Jesus. This is what wise people do.

A just man is a righteous man; a man who obeys the law. And yet, the Bible talks about teaching a just (righteous) person.

Even the most godly person still falls short of the glory of God. They also have blind spots; areas in their lives that they don’t see from a godly perspective. To say otherwise would be saying that we are perfect, and none of us are.

We are all on a journey of ongoing maturing in Christ. It is true that the Holy Spirit can do large amounts of this so wonderfully with us directly. But it is equally true that iron sharpens iron and that we are called to walk together towards God.

If you believe that you have outgrown your need for correction, then you have ceased being wise.

So, my simple question to you today is this:

Are you wise or foolish; are you open to rebuke and correction or not?