With all of the interest that this Proverbs series has generated, I know of only one person who will be thrilled when it’s over. Nicki Mierzejewski, one or administrative assistants, is responsible for typing up these detailed outlines with all of the scripture references. Needless to say, it’s been number-specific work, as we’ve tried to list and cross-reference the different verses that speak to the topics of the day.

Though Nicki might be in a minority, we are nonetheless moving toward the Advent season, when we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of Christ to Earth at Christmas. So this week we deal with teachability, and next week Christ in the Proverbs, as a conclusion to the series.

Many times I’ve been asked “What is God’s will for my life? ”There are many ways to respond to that question. Sometimes I quote from Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Sometimes I answer with Romans 12:1, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – for this is your spiritual service of worship.” Most often, I answer in a way that is at once more simple and more cryptic. “What is God’s will for my life?” That you should want to know it and then do it. In other words, if I’m really eager to know and do God’s will, then I am in God’s will.

Which begs the questions: Do I really want to know and am I willing to alter my current thinking and behavior so that I actually learn and do God’s will? More simply, am I teachable?

Proverbs has a lot to say about teachability.

First, teachability is about managing self-perceptions. If I think I’m already pretty smart, good luck. 3:7says “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” Pride and evil walk hand in hand. If we think we don’t have much to learn, 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace” and 16:18 says that “pride goes before destruction.” 26:12 asks, “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Pride, haughty eyes, an over-large self-perception; these are the things that shut down learning and stop growth. But “with humility comes wisdom,” says 11:2. “Humility comes before honor,” says 18:2, because humility is a teachable spirit and a healthy self-perception. Humility says, “I have a lot to learn. ”

Beyond managing self-perception, teachability is about managing instructions. 13:13 says that “he who scorns instruction will pay for it." As we’ve seen before, Proverbs has a label for the one who scorns instruction, defies authority, stirs up trouble. It’s the mocker who scorns instruction.

21:24 “The proud and arrogant man – Mocker is his name; he behaves with overwhelming pride. "How does God manage moochers?3:34 "He mocks proud mockers, but gives grace to the humble." Among other things, God is a teacher – the best teacher. While God certainly loves all of his pupils, what pupils does any good teacher delight in the most? First, the underdogs, and then the ones who are eager to learn and responsive to the teacher. Surely God is willing to give grace to the mocker, but the mocker has to be humbled in one way or another before any real learning can begin. (Oh, I know…mockers can be underdogs, too…)

God want us to acquire knowledge. 18:15 "The heart of the discerning acquire knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out." 23:12 "Apply your hearts to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge."

And having acquired it, hold on to it, 4:13 says, "don’t let it go; guard it well, for it is your life." 7:1ff says to store it up, keep it, guard it, bind it to your fingers if you have to.

Beyond managing instructions, being teachable is about managing corrections – discipline, rebuke, reproof. This is harder than instruction. Correction tells us what we don’t want to know – we’ve blown it, says correction. Or, at least, there’s a better way. Oh, but we too often get all defensive and bent out of shape and even down right mean when anyone tries to correct us. Teachability loves correction. 12:1 "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." That pretty much says it all. But here’s more. "He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored." 15:31 says "He who listens to life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise," and 15:32 says that the one who "ignores discipline despises himself." In other words, deflecting good help, or good correction, is so self-destructive and so growth-stunting that it’s as if we hate ourselves and the worst for ourselves.

15:5 talks about the importance of receiving discipline from our fathers. 3:11-12 indicates how crucial it is that we receive discipline from God. Like Revelation 3:19 and Deuteronomy 8:5 and Hebrews 12:5-6, “The Lord disciplines those he loves as a father rebukes the son he delights in. ”Oh, but we don’t want to see God this way. We love to see God as permissive and only interventionist when He’s dropping goodies from the sky. The Bible makes it clear in many places that God disciplines, rebukes, corrects, like any good Father, because He loves His children.

10:17 says that whoever heeds such discipline has found the way to life. And whoever ignores it leads others astray. (Not just about me…others affected by me…you).

So who resents correction, says 15:12. The mocker, of course. He doesn’t consult the wise. He knows as much as he needs to know. Can you hear his snide remarks now? (Tss…)

And more than instruction, and even more than corrections and rebuke and discipline: How do we handle outright commands? 10:8 says that the wise in heart accepts commands. 13:13 says we’ll be rewarded if we respect commands. 19:16 says this actually guards our lives, while being contemptuous will kill us.

How many here have been in the military? You know all about this. The line of command is not only absolutely necessary for success, but also for safety. Yes, it must be hard at times to put life and limb in the hands of a superior officer, but there’s also something noble about that kind of trust. Jesus certainly seemed to think so when the centurion said, "I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say go and they go. I say come and they come. So, Lord, you say the word and my servant will be healed." (Matthew 8:8-9). There’s something simple and simply good about understanding authority and obeying commands. (Trust and obey, for there is no other way).

Finally, teachability means managing associations. Some verses tell us to keep many advisors. Others say to listen to those advisors. 13:20 says "he who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Our friends and associations matter. We need many and we need good ones. Yes, we can reach out to fools and be associated with all kinds of people for their good and ours – but we must always be asking who’s rubbing off on who and how?

Someone might say that all of this sounds so Old Testament. Well, I’ve picked only a few New Testament verses that convey virtually the same messages. All to point out the Jesus is wise and wants us to be wise – useful servants of God who increasingly reflect His love and glory and wisdom.