Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 7
The teaching presses Proverbs’ idea that a wise person can “love” reproof and become “wiser” through correction; what internal reactions (thoughts, emotions, rebuttals) reveal that you are reacting rather than receiving, and what practices could retrain those instincts?
Another way to ask: What thoughts or feelings show you are getting defensive instead of learning from correction, and what could help you respond more wisely next time?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
In the speaker’s framework, you’re reacting rather than receiving when correction triggers defensiveness, self-justification, or questions like “What right do you have?” instead of humble learning. Retraining starts with preparing your heart for instruction, seeking counsel intentionally, and practicing willing submission—especially when the advice doesn’t match your preferred outcome.
- Proverbs cited: “Reprove a wise man, and he will love you… and he will be wiser.”
- He contrasts responses: not pushing it away or saying, “What right do you have… to correct… me?”
- He urges: “Give your heart to instruction and prepare your ears for words of perception.”
- He warns about selective listening: we hear counsel but only accept what “suits our agenda.”
- He admits his own tendency: when he feels strongly, he gets on a “hobby horse,” yet wants to “learn to submit to other people’s ideas.”