Pondering Proverbs – Discipline (7)

 

 

“Through insolence comes nothing but strife, but wisdom is with those who receive counsel.” Proverbs 13:10.

 

The scoffer and the insolent are closely related, if not the same – rejecting discipline, instruction, and counsel; while those who receive counsel will gain wisdom, just as it is the wise son who accepts his father’s discipline.

 

Inherent in the scoffer and the insolent is rebellion, a disrespect for authority, and a proclivity to tear down rather than build up. An individual scoffer or insolent person is annoying, but when two or more form an association and become a snowball rolling down a hill, gaining mass and momentum – that is dangerous and often lethal to society.  When professing Christians join the snowball, we have tragedy in the church.

 

Insolence generates strife, it is a virus that affects all it touches, it upsets the equilibrium and center of gravity of families, communities, churches, workplaces, and nations. The insolent do not seek to resolve conflict, but to destroy, to tear down others while exalting themselves. The insolent are consumed by their insolence, just as scoffers are consumed by their scoffing; that is, insolence feeds on insolence, just as all sin feeds on sin; it must have more and more sin to maintain itself until finally it consumes itself – hurling itself into the abyss of darkness and death and of no return.

 

The fact that many Christians in our society are consuming insolence and wearing it as a badge of honor ought to break our hearts – where are those who follow the sacrificial Lamb wherever He goes? Where are those who are chosen with Him, as lambs for slaughter? Where are those who will join Jesus on the Cross for the salvation of others? Where are those who are willing to lose so that others may win?

 

Paul writes, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons” (1 Cor. 10:21).

 

James instructs us, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthy, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

 

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteous is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:13 – 18.

 

I confess that I have struggled with insolence and anger and sarcasm. I confess that the journey out of these things is ongoing, and that when I do lapse into this toxicity that it is worse than food poisoning – the sin affects my entire system, spiritually and physically, it is sickening and disgusting and it takes time to recover. I know that our Father’s correction of me in these times is given in love and mercy and grace, but O how it is painful.

 

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24 – 26).

 

O how I want to be a son who receives counsel and wisdom, who accepts his Father’s discipline. “Lord Jesus, deliver me from any and all taint of scoffing and insolence, please do not leave me to myself.”

 

This is my desire.

 

What is your prayer and desire?