Do you love to learn?  If you do then you’ll love being instructed. If you don’t want instruction (in order to gain knowledge), well… you are stupid. Listen to what God tells us today: V1. Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge; but he that hates reproof is stupid. God’s Word says not always what we want to hear, but always what we need to hear. Instruction is a very necessary component to knowledge. Instruction involves lots of correction; over and over again. It requires focus; it is long; it is hard; it has a purpose. He who loves to learn or ‘know’ certain things must also love to be taught things. The very nature of being taught requires that we do what we are currently doing differently than before….therein lies the engagement of our wills; do we want to learn? Do we love whatever the Spirit teaches us? If we can say yes, then we will most certainly love the knowledge that instruction has imparted.

V3. A man shall not be established (made secure) by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. No security comes from wickedness; it is all superficial. A deep and wide root of righteousness secures the believer so that he/she shall not be moved. Though the storms come and cause movement in what is exposed to the elements, the roots secure the righteous… permanently.

V 19. The truthful lip shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Above we saw what shall not be established; here God shows us what shall. Above we see the depth of what the righteous possesses; here we see how fleeting wickedness truly is. The order within these two verses is different but their message is exactly the same.

V22. Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD; but they that deal truthfully are His delight. How is it that something we take so lightly far too often and categorize as small and insignificant is an abomination to the LORD? This verse alone should cause us to be repulsed by any falsehood coming out of our mouths. The next part though should thrill us to the very core; truth is of the utmost importance, and God is literally delighted with us when we deal truthfully. Let that sink into your heart and mind. It is way too profound to skim over.

For Today: What can you take from these verses and apply to your life in a way you’ve never done so before? Can you view instruction differently so that you will love it, instead of dread it? Most assuredly, instruction from God has benefits that are life changing. What will you do with what you know?