Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

“This Book of Proverbs is so called, because it consists of wise and weighty sentences: regulating the morals of men: and directing them to wisdom and virtue. And these sentences are also called PARABLES, because great truths are often couched in them under certain figures and similitudes.” quote

Reading through the 31 chapters of Proverbs each month can give us an understanding of how to serve God.

Proverbs 12:1; 1:23

Proverbs 12:1

KJV ¹Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

NKJV ¹ Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.

NASB ¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.

ESV ¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

The Hebrew root of the word “brutish” or “stupid” is “to burn” or “to consume”. By extension it is an animal, who without any understanding or consideration consumes his fodder.

The KJV has captured this with the translation “brutish”. A person who hates reproof or correction has an animal intelligence. He is improved neither by instruction nor experience.

An owner teaches his dog not to cross the road and disciplines him when he can catch him disobeying. The dog continues to cross the road and is hit by a car. He is nursed back to health and when he runs loose again, he crosses the road, is hit by a car and killed. Why does this happen? He is a brute. Neither correction nor experience has saved him.

The one who hates reproof whether it comes by word or experience is a brute or stupid. While the one who receives reproof, accepts it and profits by it is described as one who “loves knowledge. Contrast Proverbs 13:12; 15:5, 10, 12.

Proverbs 1:23

²³If you turn at my reproof,behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.