In Search of Wisdom

A wise man once said, "Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction is wisdom, and humility comes before honor" (Prov. 15:32-33). I have a sneaking suspicion that God is trying to tell me something. It seems that everywhere I turn in the Scriptures I am confronted with the concept of being teachable.

I have always assumed I am teachable, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I know that by reading a chapter of Proverbs a day that I will face a fair amount of references to being teachable, but even in my studies elsewhere this issue has been visited and revisited. I think there is a danger in studying that often goes unaddressed. I fear that we often forget that learning facts is not the same a being teachable. We may sit in Sunday school and hear something we had not known before, and yet our lives might not be changed. Or we may hear something in a sermon that we had not previously considered, and yet we often do little about it.

Being a disciple is not about collecting facts like an encyclopedia. It is more like being a toolbox. Information, knowledge, and experience are gathered together like tools, so that we may effectively accomplish the tasks set apart for us by the Lord. Being teachable means that we not only possess some tools, but we are willing to gather more with the full intention of learning to master the new ones, as well as the old. When the Scriptures call us to teachability, or discipleship, they call us to become apprentices who study under the Master. We study the tools that he has given us. We learn all their uses. We watch to see how he uses them and we imitate his actions. He watches us as we use them and corrects us when we err. Skill comes through constant, consistent, correct practice.

I want to be more teachable. I want a humble heart that handles correction with gratitude. I want to learn the art of skillful living, often referred to as wisdom. Lord, open my heart to your Word that I may be corrected, purified and wise. Amen!