Being Teachable
Jul 24, 2007 Print This Post
.:medical condition:. My eye hurts
.:itunes:. Diddley Daddy by Chris Isaak
My family has been going through Proverbs for the last month, picking out one verse each night from the day’s chapter (there are 31 chapters, so we just go with the date). A couple week’s ago, this was our verse:
Proverbs 9:9
Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.
We all had the same reaction to this verse: “duh!”
But I have been thinking about this verse a lot since we went through it. I think it has a lot to do with being a teachable person. If we are unwise, then we will not respond well when we are instructed / corrected / rebuked. We then stay in exactly the same place, entrenched and unable to grow.
So how does a wise person respond to instruction / correction / rebuke?
By looking for the nugget of truth (no matter how big or small) in what the other person has said.
Yesterday, Monday Morning Insight republished an old article of mine where I talk about the different kinds of notes I get in a typical week. I talked about the fact that I ignore anonymous notes because they carry no weight. John Morris responded with this comment:
I read every single note, whether anonymous or otherwise, and I attempt to discern God’s voice in the midst of sometimes very hurtful words, and I try to find what in my life might have given even the slightest opening for the criticism. You wouldn’t believe how much you can grow from the hateful words and actions of others if you really take a minute, de-emotionalize the situation, completely un-bias yourself from having to be justified, and try to simply find the tiny lesson to be learned. It’s always there. Our problem is that we look at motives first, then we get defensive. Ever think you might still get the right lesson from it even if the attack was motivated by something completely off-base? After all, doesn’t God work all things for your good?
I have to keep that in mind. Even anonymous negative notes have something to teach me.
On this note, I saw these hilarious videos this morning. As you are watching them, think of the relationship between pastor / teacher / mentor and those who they are called to lead / train / mentor. (Oh, and there is some beeped out colorful language, so if that bugs you don’t watch these.)
