April 12, 2024: I Embrace Discipline To Gain Wisdom

Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid. -Proverbs 12:1 NKJV

When I was coaching varsity basketball, we used a video system called Hudl. This software contained video of our games and film of the teams that we would be facing in the upcoming days. A feature of this software was that we were able to see how long our athletes had been watching film. Some had multiple hours while some didn't have any at all except for what we watched as a group. The ones who watched multiple hours of film were dedicated and disciplined enough to put in the effort to make sure that they are prepared. They had a passion for the game and a desire to succeed. They wanted to see what they did wrong and find ways to get better.

Solomon lets us know that there are two types of people in the world. Those who love instruction and those who hate correction. One is smart and the other.... not so much. The ESV version of this passage say "Whoever loves discipline..." The Hebrew translations says whoever has an appetite for discipline, correction or instruction. When one has an appetite, there is a strong desire to get what they are craving. Whoever has an appetite for instruction or discipline, has an appetite for knowledge. There is a starving and thirst for something greater than they have already experienced.

On the other side, you have those who don't want correction. Who don't want to do things the right way but their way. Those who don't want to be better or do better. This translation uses the word stupid. In other words, knowing that there is better and choosing not to do better. Sometimes, we find ourselves here. We hit a place of complacency and choose not to have an appetite for anything greater that what we already experience. In our lives and our walk, we each ought to strive to do better. It is this drive that leads to knowledge. Knowledge helps get to wisdom. And wisdom is the principal thing,,, get it!