Monday, July 16, 2007

Proverbs 13:10

"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice."

When a person is proud, meaning that he thinks more highly of himself and his opinions than is appropriate or justified, he won't accept advice or correction from people who want to help him. They apostle Paul warns those who think they're just fine to take care lest they fall. We are all human, sinful creatures, imperfect, and often blind to our faults. If we're wise, we'll accept advise because we know that we don't know all that we need to know.

Occasionally I hear people call in to a certain radio talk show that I enjoy, ostensibly seeking counsel about their finances. It doesn't take very long to realize that the caller thinks he or she knows more about the subject than the host. That may not be the precise diagnosis of their malady, but to listen to them you'd think they'd already tried everything that the host advises, or they have reasons why his advice doesn't work in their particular situation. The whole conversation sounds very much like an argument.

A proud person feels he must defend himself against advice, so he ends up quarreling with the adviser in order to discount his or her words. A quarrel was not the intention of the adviser, but the receiver's ego will not permit anything that may diminish his stature in his own or other people's eyes.

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