The Righteous Add to their Learning

“Teach a wise man and he will be wiser still;

teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.”

Proverbs 9:9 (NIV)

               I found the reference to this verse on a sign board at a restaurant we regularly patronize. It spoke to me.

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               The words of Solomon speak to us. He gives his readers two scenarios, each with a positive outcome.

               If we instruct someone who listens and learns from what we tell them, we consider them wise. Solomon shows us that our time is not wasted in the process of our attempt to impart knowledge to another person. As children, we have to learn to listen to those who are our elders. I had an uncle who lived with us during my growing up years; I would have never thought of not doing as he told me. Yes, sometimes he was in charge of me.

               My son once told a daughter of a babysitter that he didn’t have to do as she said. The issue was the mother had told the girl she was to watch him for her. They greeted me almost at the front door and told me what had happened. I got my son’s attention and told him, in front of them when the mother told whoever of her teenage children to watch over him and tell him to do something, he was to do it.

               The second part of this saying speaks of another kind of individual—one who lives very close to God. This person will receive what he or she learns and applies it to their heart and to their lives and learns from the lesson. During the time I havebeen

down with a broken rib, I kept up with my devotional reading. I learned that God does allow difficulties into our lives to teach us what is important in His sight. He teaches us to view events with His eyes. Some of the prayer needs on my list look different since I learned this lesson.