proverbs 23:12
“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge."
proverbs 23:12
There are 1,440 minutes in every day. How many do you seek wisdom? How many do you pursue instruction? The average American watches television 3-4 hours or about 210 minutes every day and not a single minute of it teaches wisdom.
No wonder the nation is bankrupt financially and morally. Every minute of television costs you a minute for wisdom. Folly is the certain result for fans of Hollywood, spectator sports, or Facebook.
But television is not the only culprit in a pleasure mad generation. What about idle posting on social media, texting, tweeting, movies, magazines, music, sports, hobbies, lawn care, concerts, video games, and Internet surfing, among many more? When a person chooses to exalt these activities, he forfeits the advice given by Solomon in this proverb, for the 1,440 minutes in a day quickly rush down the drain and are lost.
This is a simple admonition here and yet if we will look at it carefully, it will yield to us some very helpful information. The first thing we see is that we are to apply our heart to discipline.
Here we read that what we bring our hearts to is discipline. This is to instruct with discipline. It refers most often to the discipline given by a father both by word and by the rod. It is very easy when discipline is applied to us for us to not allow it to reach the heart.
We may hear the words and receive the correction, but we do not bring our hearts to it. True correction and discipline is for the heart not the bottom. It might be applied to the rear end but the aim in these things needs to be directly to the heart.
I believe Solomon is saying to the one receiving the discipline, apply your heart to what God is trying to teach you.
The second admonition here is that we also apply our ears to Words of Knowledge. Knowledge here refers to more than just head-learning. Solomon is telling us about a knowing of God and His ways.
He refers to a working knowledge, a practical knowledge, intimate knowledge. Knowledge that truly changes the way we act.
We are told to bring our ears to this knowledge that God is seeking to give us. It is listening to learn and to apply it to one's life. This is key to us becoming wise. If we will truly bring our hearts and ears to what God is seeking to communicate to us, we will be blessed greatly. God longs for us to be wise and to know and follow Him with all our hearts.
These two practices of bringing our hearts to times of discipline, and bringing our ears to hear obediently what God says to us will assure that we grow and personally experience all the godliness that God desires to give us when He works and speaks in our lives. Only a few great men and women will apply themselves to the pursuit of wisdom and reap the wonderful results. Let us focus on the goal and put forth the effort to learn true wisdom from God’s Word each day!!!
Father, thank You for this day and for setting us on our journey today. Lord, open up the windows of heaven and and let Your abundant blessings pour out from the floodgates of heaven over my friend and family today. Lord, we are grateful that You sent Your Word to guide us in the way that we should go. Thank You for keeping us on the straight and narrow. Lord, we love Your Word, it is filled with life and faith. Give us the desire to read and study it more diligently. Lord, open our understanding and give us revelation so that we will be able to apply the truths found in Your Word. Lord use us to boldly proclaim the Word of truth to all.
Father, we love You. Amen !
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