September 14, Proverbs 10
Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray. - Proverbs 10:17
In my mature years, I'm becoming a cook! I don't mean to suggest I'm planning a career change, but I’ve enjoyed learning to cook some things. I’ve been grilling outside for a long time, but I'm also moving into the kitchen these days. May I modestly say I’m making some pretty good homemade buttermilk biscuits? And my red sauce for Italian dishes is quite good as well. I owe both of those recipes and proficiency at cooking them to my wife, who taught me step by step how she did the things I’ve learned to cook.
But wait, there's more! I’ve made cornbread! I've even baked a cake a time or two. For those specialties I discovered the magic of reading and following directions on the cornmeal and cake mix packages. Do what the directions tell you to do, and the odds are quite good that you can be a cook, too. If you want to know how to make something or do something, there's almost surely some videos about what you want to do on YouTube. I even made a crust out of chicken to make a no carb pizza!
I realize that men have been stereotyped as either unable or unwilling to read and follow directions. Maybe there's some truth behind that generalization. But when it comes to doing life, there's no denying men and women both need a guide. Our text for today says the person who listens to instruction is on the path to life. It's really the only alternative. If we stagger through life trying to figure it out and do what seems right to us, we're in danger of becoming an illustration of a verse later in Proverbs: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 14:12).
God has graciously given us instructions for living. The best way to honor God and bless ourselves and others is to listen to what he says and follow the instructions.
We might expect the second half of the verse to talk about the alternative leading to death. Instead it emphasizes something else, something that should make us think very carefully before we choose to ignore God's instructions for life. Remember what the second half said? "But he who rejects reproof leads others astray." The path you choose by heeding or failing to heed God's instructions not only determine whether you will find real life or not. When I am stubborn and refuse to listen, doing what seems right to me leads others astray, too. Your mate, your kids, your friends and all the people within your circle of influence are affected by whether you heed or reject what God says.
The damage goes beyond those people nearest and dearest to you as well. Even strangers confirm their suspicion that all Christians as hypocrites when news of our disastrous life crash reaches their ears. We lead folks astray and rob God of the honor he is due when we reject God's instruction and correction in our lives. Add to that the stark difference in outcomes (life versus separation from God), and the most sensible course is to heed God's instruction.
When I wanted to bake my own biscuits, I humbled myself and learned from my instructor who knew a lot more about it than I did. When life is the outcome we want, we need to listen to the Author of life, who gave us life and gave his Son’s life so we can have eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ. He tells us, “This is my beloved Son. Hear him.”
Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—September 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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