Spirit-Living Devotional
Apostle Osborn
THE BLESSING OF REBUKE
[[Pro 9:8, 9]] KJV Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
*Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
Life is a big classroom and every day is a lesson. To advance, we must learn to submit ourselves to good counsel and instructions from people who may know things we don’t know. The Bible says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” *(Pro 11:14).
Unfortunately, many take this God-given gift of counsellors for granted; in their simplicity, they reject counsel. Wisdom, however, demands that we open up ourselves to godly instructions. These counsel and instructions may even come in the form of rebuke. But we must be willing to take them in good faith and advance.
In our opening text, we discover that when a wise person is rebuked, he turns to love the one who rebuked him more. The reason is simple: he knows that the rebuke is to his advantage. Sadly, countless don’t listen to good counsel but rather turn to hate the people who rebuke them or try to correct them.
As a child of God, you must train yourself to submit to counsel and love those that rebuke you. This is because the wisdom of God is at work in you. Humble yourself and learn from others. God brings people our way to bless us with the rich experience and wisdom often derived from their mistakes. And we need the humility, sensitivity, and wisdom to submit ourselves to such gifts from God.
Submit to counsel. See rebuke as an opportunity to improve. Love those who rebuke you because they seek your advancement. Never allow the blessing of an experience to pass you by. Today, open up yourself to counsel. And learn from others. Become more wiser through instruction. See the blessing in rebukes.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for the people you bring into my life to instruct, rebuke, and counsel me. I receive these gifts and submit myself to them. And I declare that through their instructions, I increase in wisdom. Thank you, Lord.
