My pastor’s wife usually shares the following story to illustrate the importance of listening to instruction and immediate obedience. One time she together with her two younger daughters we going to the mall and so they got there and parked the car at the basement. Her daughter was in such a hurry and she made a dash to the lift but from the corner of her eye the mum could see a car speeding to get out of the basement parking. Immediately she called out her child’s name and commanded her to stop. Lucky enough the child had been trained to receive instruction and respond immediately so she stopped immediately and the car whizzed past her. Has she hesitated even for a few seconds she would have been hit by the car.
Proverbs 10:21 (AMP)
21 The lips of the righteous feed and guide many, But fools [who reject God and His wisdom] die for lack of understanding.
Have I rejected Gods wisdom? If someone was to ask me this question I would probably say no I have not rejected it but then again when I think about it critically, how true is that statement?
Have I been careful and diligent to obey what the word of God clearly tells me to do or do I just pick out what I am comfortable with and I throw out the rest?
Proverbs 15:5 (AMP)
5 A [flippant, arrogant] fool rejects his father’s instruction and correction, But he who [is willing to learn and] regards and keeps in mind a reprimand acquires good sense.
God is our heavenly father and to reject His correction and instruction is to be a fool. We sometimes don’t want to follow Gods instructions to the letter and yet we want to reap the benefits and when things happen otherwise we begin to blame God. When Joshua took over from Moses, God says to him;
Joshua 1:8 (AMP)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be [a]successful.
That is the way to acquire wisdom, to have a teachable spirit and to be able to receive instruction and correction. It’s one thing to know the instruction and some of us get stuck there. Just because we know then we assume that we have obeyed. We need to go a step further than just knowing, we need to be careful to DO EVERYTHING in accordance to the instructions we have been given, then we will experience the fruit of the instruction. A fool will be deaf to instruction assuming they know everything but time soon exposes them for who they are.
Proverbs 14:33 (AMP)
33 Wisdom rests [silently] in the heart of one who has understanding, But what is in the heart of [shortsighted] fools is made known.
