24.308 | HUMILITY COMES BEFORE HONOR | Proverbs 15:31-33 | God’s Word for Today with Pastor Nazario Sinon

God’s Word For Today

Text: Proverbs 15:31-33 (ESV)

31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,

but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

33 The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

HUMILITY COMES BEFORE HONOR

A humble person is a good listener to good advices. Thus, he is wise. These godly advices include corrections (Prov 1:7; 3:11). A correction that comes from godly wisdom is life-giving (Prov 10:17; 13:14). Being reproved isn't pleasant but it is essential to a righteous life. In the New Testament, Paul enjoins Timothy to preach the word and to "reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" (2 Tim 4:2). Notedly, appropriate reproof and rebuke must be based on Scripture primarily. Paul writes that God breathed out all Scriptures and that it is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."[2 Tim 3:16 ] A person could gain wisdom by examining his life in the light of Scriptures. Subsequently, he will align his life to the standard set by the Word of God.

Ignoring instruction is self-destructive. It is tantamount to despising oneself. In this context, "despising" means to prefer something else, or to go against the person’s best interests. Thus, to ignore the wise teachings is to "hate" yourself. This arrogant person may think he is superior to the instructor, but actually he is insulting and harming himself. A very sick man who rejects the only medicine that can make him well because he thinks he knows more than the doctor is a fool, is he not? Similarly, those who despise the cross that can save them are spiritually fools.

The reason why the wise listens is his fear of God. He is humble. He willingly acknowledges his reliance on the Lord for wisdom, and he humbly obeys the Lord's instructions (Prov 3:34; 11:2). A person could not have an attitude of arrogance and expect to earn honor, could he? James insists that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6). Humility comes before honor. Even Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a man and dying on the cross for us (Phil 2:7–8). "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name" (Phil 2:9).

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