What I Hope I Don't Hate

Scripture: You say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors. Proverbs 5:12-13

Observation: Solomon is warning his son about the dangers of forbidden relationships. His instruction to his son about a forbidden woman is simple: Keep your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house. What Solomon is trying to prevent is a lifetime of regret, where his son would look back and groan over the wasting of his life because of his immorality. He wants his son not to grieve over how he hated discipline and the reproof of others.

Application: A good friend of mine has made some immoral decisions. He has crossed a line. He knows it, and is open to counsel. Those of us who love him are going to meet with him this week, to outline a plan of restoration, to help him recover his life. This is a plan of love, but also has some hard truths to it. There will be discipline and reproof. I feel God is giving me Proverbs 5:12-13 to share in this meeting, to encourage my friend to not hate the discipline and reproof that is coming his way, but to embrace it. To listen to the voice of the other men in his life, playing the role of teacher in his life.

Prayer: God, I pray that I would always submit to your teaching and to your teachers in my life. I pray for great wisdom for us as we meet with our friend tomorrow, that we would be humble and strong instructors, and that his heart would love discipline and reproof.