Proverbs 19:20 – Hear counsel, receive
instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.
There is a strange and
hazardous tendency within all of us, to want what we want, when we want it. All
children must learn that good things do, indeed, take time, and there is a
necessary process to follow before rewards are given. We are being exhorted,
here, in this statement, to put first things first. The most important thing to
learn is, that the fulfillment of any desire, or accomplishment of a goal, is
not the most important thing. The process that we must go through, to obtain
our objectives, is the most important thing, because that process ensures that we
change and mature, and develop lasting, trustworthy, fully-formed character.
In order to hear, we must quit
talking; we must value what someone else is saying, for without that, we will
never truly listen. Most of us have learned enough manners to stop talking and
let someone else speak, but that does not mean we are listening; quite often,
we are merely waiting for our turn to speak again. Listening is a lost skill
and forgotten talent in our world today. Many people may lose their hearing and
be in need of a hearing aid, but, just because the sound gets amplified, that
does not ensure that one is listening. Listening is different than hearing.
Listening is a developed skill that seeks to discern what another is saying. We
may accidently hear, or over-hear something, but we never accidently listen.
Listening is a decision, it is always intentional.
What is it that we are to
listen to? Counsel. We live in a world that is overloaded with information, and
every day we are bombarded with it. The daily news informs us of the latest
event; the most recent scientific advances and medical breakthroughs. Social
media saturates us with images and notifies us what others are doing.
Information, knowledge, statistics and data. Events, meetings, opportunities
and options. So much noise. So much clamour. Almost pandemonium. With all of
that going on daily, it is absolutely necessary to hear; to listen; to
differentiate and discern. Just as a gold-panner would swirl the sludge around,
so that the heavier particles would remain in the bottom of the pan, we too must
sift and sort through the barrage of information, so that the weightier and
more important matters, the good counsel, may appear.
There are very few people who
understand and value their need for correction, and even fewer, who graciously
and wisely receive it. Correction is a vital element which is necessary for
progress in any venture, and yet, that same element is almost always rejected.
What person is there that could not improve in at least one area of their life?
We say that we want to improve, but the only way to get better is to accept the
fact that there may be another way, and, that better way is normally shown to
us by another person, and that is where the trouble lies. We do not have the
humility to acknowledge that someone else’s idea, or way, may be superior to
ours.
One modern writer has taught
us that successful and productive people always begin with the end in mind.
What is it that we want to accomplish, or achieve? Settle that first and then
work towards that end. If you wish to build a storage shed on your property,
you would get a picture and plan of it first, then begin. If you desired to
obtain a university degree you would begin with the goal in mind and discipline
yourself to that task. Likewise, here, in our verse, we are to begin with the
end in mind.
Do you want to be wise in your
latter years? Start now. Listen to good counsel. Accept constructive criticism.
Open yourself up to learning and improving. Read books by authors of another
perspective. Associate with others who may be older and more experienced. Have
some humility. Refuse to have a know-it-all attitude. Take note of what works
and doesn’t work. Be disciplined. Stay at it, and in the end, we will have
lived a fulfilling and satisfying life of wisdom, we will have helped a lot of
people along the way, we will have gained a rich experience, and we will have
enjoyed the rewards that go along with it.
