Here we are nearing the middle of the book of Proverbs. It’s a good spot to review what we read last week and get an overview of the whole. And the best way to do that is with this short animated video from The Bible Project. It’s 8 minutes long. I encourage you to click the link and watch, then come back.
My proverb picks of the day from this section are 12:1, 12:11, and 14:4.
“To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.”
Proverbs 12:1 NLT
Right out of the gate we get a life hack on how education works:
You have to make friends with being corrected.
You might even like it so much that you ask people – wiser, more skilled people – to tell you where you were wrong and what you did well. That’s what a good coach or teacher does.
Here’s a 4-minute animated video that explains how interacting and correction is essential for learning a skill. It’s actually about learning in the context of church discipleship.
You and I (ideally) are both teachers and students our entire lives. We should always be learning. And we should always be teaching.
If you’re teaching, make correction:
- Expected from the outset (I tell all the singers who interview with me to serve in worship ministry that I will be correcting and coaching them vocally. This is just part of our team culture. This way, it doesn’t shock anyone.)
- Non-threatening (I also know from being a vocal student that correction of your voice can feel like a personal attack because it’s not like you can blame the problem on the instrument. I tell my voice students this. I also tell them that we have to learn to separate ourselves from our voices so we can objectively consider how to improve our technique.)
- The work of the teacher (If the student isn’t getting what I’m asking them to do, that’s my problem as the teacher. It’s not the student’s job. I may have to try several different approaches to help the student understand what is going wrong and how they can make it go right.)
If you wearing your “student hat,” ask for correction. And you might be a student of your spouse or your friend; not just a leader, teacher, or employer. Submit your ideas to them. Ask if you’ve understood them correctly. “Did I get that right?” “Is that what you need from me?” Give them a chance to correct any faulty understanding or practice. I think a lot of drama would be cleared up if we just all asked for clarification.
One final angle on this is when you encounter a person who refuses to receive correction, there’s no point in trying to teach them until they do. Because, “To learn, you must love being corrected.” Depending on the context, you may have to figure out the cause of this resistance. It may or may not be pride and stubbornness. It could be hurt. Insecurity. Spiritual sensitivity is a very helpful here.
Correction cannot come across as condemnation. Good coaches don’t yell at a player, “You idiot! Why didn’t you…” A good coach helps the player see the opportunity they missed so they will recognize it in future.
The book of Proverbs has much to say on the topic of learning and should be go-to resource for all teachers and students.
“A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.”
Proverbs 12:11 NLT
I have only one thing to say on this verse.
“Make work ethic great again.”
“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: But much increase is by the strength of the ox.”
Proverbs 14:4 KJV
I like the King James rendering of this verse. I also really like the NLT for any of the poetic and wisdom books because it’s an idea-for-idea translation rather than word-for-word. And that works better for poetry in my opinion.
“Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.”
Proverbs 14:4 NLT
This is the verse I quote to (or perhaps mentally quote) to married women who complain about their husbands making messes.
😏
🤨 Ok. Now you’re meddling.
😏 True. Let’s call it a day.
To The Reader 