An Ear That Hears

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

An Ear That Hears

Proverbs 19:20, 27 NKJV

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

27 Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

The Church is plagued with the delusion that gifted instructors are unnecessary. This is disproved both in the Old Testament and the New Testament by example and precept. It particularly behooves the New Testament reader to consider the importance the New Testament writers put on the ministry and the gifts of the Spirit which undergird it.

The verses to be studied, Vss 20, 27 are plain in the requirement stated and the certain failure when that requirement is not met.

A study of these verses reveal:

1. Vs 20 There are those who are qualified to instruct. It would be easier to say these wise counselors are always recognized Believers. But this is not so. The Scriptures give examples of wise men whom we have no reason to think are converted. One of these is Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, cf Exodus 18:13-27

2. There is the responsibility to recognize those who have the ability to instruct in righteous conduct and witness. This is to “listen” and “accept”.

A. There are some who are worth hearing.

B. There is a clear necessity of listening.

C. Accepting is nothing less than this becoming a part of the character of the hearer. The hearer knows this and does it.

3. Wisdom is gained only by listening to those who can teach.

It is very interesting that in his book, The Outliers, Gladwell proves that all accomplishments come as a result of instruction. That does not exempt the accomplishments of genius.

4. Wisdom is not instantaneous. It is a process. It begins with “advice” and “instruction”, with wisdom being a prospect realized in the future.

What tragedies the Church would have escaped and can escape in the future by listening to the wisdom of Paul in I Timothy 3:6, 10. A failure to require the maturation of instruction into wisdom is certain to bring destructive consequences.

5. The negative of what is found in Vs 20 is stated in Vs 27. At any time one becomes so complete they no longer will hear or heed instructions their path or their walk is affected.

A. They will cease to give their attention, to the degree they should, to God’s word.

B. Their character and conduct will demonstrate their failure and deviancy.

Read Luke 11:27-28 for application of Vs 20, 27.

27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”