Proverbs 3.11-12
“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”
Solomon returns now to the process of learning and developing wisdom. Again he uses the word musar to describe the process of learning to which the Lord calls us. The word translated “discipline” in this verse is musar, the same word used in the opening verses of Proverbs 1 where it is translated “instruction.”
Here is what we said about musar in Proverbs 1:
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Musar, translated “instruction,” means learning to be discipline-driven. It is the process of getting wiser and more skillful every day by learning to consistently apply God’s principles to your life. It is the process by which wisdom (hokma) is acquired. The opposite is to be default-driven, which is the absence of discipline.
The disciplined process of instruction and training must be fully embraced if the wisdom of Proverbs is to be of benefit to you. In order to be wise and live skillfully (hokma), you must learn and be trained (musar).
“Keep hold of instruction (musar); do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4.13)
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction (musar), and forsake not your mother’s teaching.” (Proverbs 1.8)
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So what Solomon is saying here in Proverbs 3 is this: Don’t get tired of being instructed and trained. Stay on the path of discipline-driven learning. Do not despise the Lord’s process of instruction and training. This message flows logically from the previous verses where we are told to fear the Lord and not lean on our own understanding. Again, this is the necessity of being an apprentice.
Solomon also tells us that if we do stray from the learning and training process, the Lord will correct us and reprove us. At times even chastise us. The Lord does so because he loves us as a father loves his son.
A wise person wants to correct their off-path thinking and behavior. A wise person recognizes and submit to the Lord’s correction. God corrects out of love. He does not want his people to continue in life-damaging attitudes and behavior. Correction, though sometimes painful, is seen as a favor, a sign of grace.
Only fools reject correction.
“Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.” (Proverbs 9.7-9)
Unfortunately, there are a lot of foolish people in the world. There are many who scoff at God’s truth, reject the Lord’s standards, and ridicule the principles of the Christian faith.
Of greater concern, however, are the Christians who resist the Lord’s correction. It is conspicuously evident that the professing church in the West is not living in substantial obedience to the call of Christ. We are not living and working as christianly as we should. As a result, our influence and impact in the world is weak and growing weaker.
Why? Because we are not submitting to the Lord’s process of teaching, training, and correction. In many ways and in many places, we have been foolish.
My prayer is that in some small way this devotional series on Proverbs will speak to the hearts of the Christians who read it and encourage them to maintain the way of godly discipline (musar), as well as call back those who have strayed from the way of godly discipline. I can speak for myself and say that Proverbs does both of those things for me.
More tomorrow.
