Proverbs 12:15-16 "The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult."
Have you ever had a time when a friend, someone you really respected, tried to tell you something negative about yourself? What was your reaction? I can remember a time in college when one of my closest friends confronted me and told me that I was a very self-focused person. My first reaction was to deny that to be true. But as he continued to tell me 'why' he thought that way, I began to realize he was right. I listened as history played itself in my mind of how I had not put others and their feelings first. I tried to suck it up and listen to what he had to say so that I could make changes. It hurt. No one likes to hear negative things about themselves, especially from a good friend. But I can tell you that because that friend had the courage to 'call it like it was,' I am a different person today.
Sometimes our habits or lives are headed down a path that is foolish. Sometimes we are so single focused that we plow everyone else over on the road to meet our goals. Sometimes we have the need to be 'right' or are so self-sufficient that we can't accept words of wisdom from others. It could be advice about our parenting skills, maybe it's about lifestyle choices, or what hurts the most is when someone questions our character in a particular situation. It really doesn't matter...whatever it is, it's not pleasant.
This verse is a good reminder to lay down our feelings and just listen to advice. Not every word that people offer should be taken, of course. We need to pray for discernment to know if the advice we've been given is good and Godly. Analyze if there's any truth in what you've heard. Pray for wisdom. Be wise, and ask God what He wants you to see in the situation. Try to step away from the emotions and use the reasoning side of your brain. Ask God if you need to make changes, even if it hurts.
Verse 16 talks about what our response should be in times when we are insulted. The natural response is to be angry. No one likes to be insulted or hear slanderous things about themselves. The knee-jerk reaction is to retaliate. But Proverbs 15:1 says "a gentle answer turns away wrath." And last week's verse, Colossians 4:6 says to "let our conversation be always full of grace..." Whatever the situation, we need to be sure to guard our testimony. People everywhere are watching our reaction to situations to see if we act in a Godly way. We need to ask God to help us pass the test.
Let's put this week's verses into action -- don't be a fool, listen up!
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com