Seeking Instruction

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7.

I am currently studying the book of Proverbs for our monthly women's Bible study at church. The theme touched on in the above-listed verse is a theme scattered throughout the book of Proverbs. Fools despise wisdom and instruction, the wise incline their heart to understanding.

As I read through the book of Proverbs, I am reminded of my own conversion to Christianity. After God regenerated me, the first fruit of repentance that I can recall being evident in my life was the desire for correction. I found myself wanting to know what was right and to be corrected if my thinking was wrong. This characteristic was nonexistent in my life before God regenerated me. I hated to be corrected. I would take correction, reluctantly, on the outside, but my heart and mind echoed with thoughts such as, "What do you know? Who are you to tell me? Shut up, you don't know me." (vile but true). As stated in Proverbs 1:7, I was a fool. With thoughts like these running through my head and ruling my life before conversion, I was shocked when I began to seek out correction and desire it. It truly was evidence to me that God had done a work in my heart.

I now understand the verses in the book of Proverbs in a way that was completely foreign before God regenerated me. To Him be the glory!