“He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.” – Proverbs 13:18
I think that it is amazing that our inability to receive correction or respond to discipline can and will affect our financial situation. This Proverb identifies the inability or unwillingness to receive correction or instruction as a source of poverty. This isn’t the only source of poverty, but it is one we can easily avoid. How many people have trounced over sound wisdom and instruction on their way to a fiery financial grave? How many business ventures have been ill advised from the outset by not being funded with cash, but with debt? Especially after the warning to owe no one anything!
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law.’ – Romans 13:8
Yet, in our blindness, arrogance and stupidity it “seems good” to us to fund major projects with debt! WHEN they come crashing down due to our inability to pay the interest we many times wonder, “What happened!?” All the while, the scriptures silently convict and reveal the source of our error. More than just poverty, shame comes from being unwilling or unable to receive discipline and correction. The word for shame here is confusion, dishonor and reproach. I don’t know one person that has hit the skids financially, losing homes in foreclosure or wealth in bankruptcy that is proud of it. Bottoming out financially is very humbling and confusing and is right up there with the death of a loved one on the traumatic experiences of life. Economic downturns, stock market crashes or real estate bubbles we can’t effect, but this area we CAN.
“A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.: - Proverbs 15:5
Honor however comes from heeding correction. This is the same word used in scripture to describe the weighty presence of God, the Kabode. It mean: weighty, heavy and regal. People that have bowed to wisdom and correction in their life, admitting where they went off the path and asking for forgiveness and mercy carry a regal, weighty presence about them. Many people get corrected, but only those that HEED correction are honored. A lot of fools think that because their stupidity was corrected they have changed. But it’s only when we apply the correction, discipline or instruction we have received that we change. Fools spurn correction, the wise change for the better as a result of it!
LIFE LESSON:
Foolish Behavior is EXPENSIVE!
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