Embracing
Our Ignorance
Listen to advice
and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
Proverbs 19:20
It had been a week since George’s
near-fatal heart attack when Jean announced, “It’s really nice
outside Honey. I think I’ll go mow.”
“Awww, that’s really nice of you.”
George replied, genuinely appreciative of his wife’s offer. He was
also keenly aware that she’d never driven the riding mower. So,
deciding to offer some advice, he began, “Let me give you some
advice about the mower…”
“I can handle it,” Jean insisted.
“But you need to…”
“But nothing!” she quipped,
effectively cutting him off. “Don’t worry about me. If I can’t
handle a simple task like mowing the lawn there’s something
terribly wrong,” she declared, and headed for the garage. A few
minutes later Jean appeared riding the mower, wearing a triumphant
smile. Shaking his head, George watched her go.
Two laps into her ‘simple task’,
she noticed their next-door neighbor watching her from the edge of
the yard. Let him watch she thought. He’s probably amazed
that I know what I’m doing! But as she drew closer, the look on
his face caused Jean an inexplicable doubt.
As she approached the spot where he was
standing, he calmly waved to her to stop.
Jean pulled up, and shut the mower off.
“I don’t want to overstep my bounds
or burst your bubble,” he began, “but the mower works better if
you put the mower deck down, and engage the blades.”
†
Jean’s actions illustrate how our
hearts can be in the right place and we can still be wide of the
mark. Good intentions are not enough to ensure success.
God, through Solomon, urges us to
listen when wisdom speaks. Our general response to His instruction is
that we don’t readily admit to ignorance; it grates on our pride to
admit we are not omniscient.
Regardless of the reason for our
refusal to admit we don't know it all, the consequences of rejecting
wise advice or instruction can, at the very least, leave us
embarrassed and facing unnecessary challenges. At worst, our
arrogance will find us paying a high price for our attitude of pride.
God leaves us this choice: Listen and
learn, or suffer the consequences.
Prayer
“Lord, I want a heart
that doesn’t shun advice and instruction. Help me listen with the
intent to learn and become wiser. Amen.”
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