The Precipice of Stupidity
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.”
—Proverbs 12:1
Observation:
I love proverbs because it puts things so plainly. No sugar coating, no beating around the bush, just blunt reality. This verse jumped out at me tonight because I think it is speaking to something that has been innate within me since I was a child. How often do we think in our superior knowledge we do not need to heed the correction of others? We think we know it all. We think we know better than everyone else, or at least we think we know better than you. But this proverb tells us such posturing is stupid. Not only is the posturing stupid, but the person who is posturing in such a way. Lovers of knowledge are life long learners. Lovers of knowledge have no problem assuming the mantle of student and listening to whoever is teaching. Learning involves discipline. It is impossible to be a serious student without discipline. It is impossible to acquire wisdom without correction. Both correction and discipline are needed. They are like two horses synonymously pulling forward a wagon. Discipline is the internal measure that allows one to stay the course, while correction is the external measure that helps one to stay the course.
Application:
On the background of my desktop there is a quote from Jim Rohn that reads, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments. For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward.” Just to be honest I didn’t even know who Jim Rohn was until I googled his name after reading the above quote. So my embracement of the quote is not an endorsement of the man, or anything else he said, because I lack enough familiarity with him to do so. I stumbled upon this quote one day, as I was being work avoidant. This quarter at seminary has been a difficult one for me. I have been completely and recklessly unfocused. After the mid quarter disappearance of the folder that contained all of my work I lost focus. It was like I succumbed to defeat, or at least an attitude of feeling defeated, which evaporated my motivation to work and thus my focus. But the reality was I lacked the discipline in my studies necessary to overcome this looming fiasco. Ever since I can remember I have taken short cut after short cut on my studies relying on my ability to work quickly to make up for my procrastination and lack of discipline. I spurned many attempts made by professors, friends, and family to bring correction into this area of my life. I was able to stay the effects of my stupidity up until now. I was never faced with a challenge that seemed insurmountable in my studies that I could not hustle my way through. I called myself a lover of knowledge, but the reality was I was a lover of stupidity.
There is an old adage that says, “don’t burn bridges until you have crossed.” While, I burned the bridge of discipline a long time ago, and now here I stand on the precipice of stupidity and I am scrambling to try and find a bridge. Life does not go as expected sometimes. The only consistency of life is that it will be inconsistent. You cannot always plan ahead, but you can discipline yourself to act rightly in any situation. So in short it boils down to one question for me, will I build a bridge of discipline supported by pillars of correction or will I continue to play with the fires of stupidity? Hopefully I can look back on this and say lessoned learned, because even thick skulls get crushed with enough pressure.
Prayer:
Lord, I repent of my stupidity, lack of discipline, and rejection of correction. Help me to focus and heed the lesson of this quarter. Help me to stop validating my procrastination with excuses and reasons. Help me to press through the inconsistency of life and finish well nonetheless. In the name of Jesus I pray Amen…
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