Joel M Bradshaw

10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.–Proverbs 17

This proverb is almost comical in its absurdity. But it serves to highlight the foolishness of the fool and the sense of the wise. How foolish must that fool be? My goodness! And that’s the point.

A rebuke isn’t criticism meant to hurt, but intended to instruct or correct. So it behooves a person to remember such rebukes as necessary course corrections.

Here are some foolish responses to a rebuke:

1. How dare he! Who does he think he is?

2. Criticize me? Well, I’ll show him!

3. Doesn’t she know who I am and the quality of work I do?

4. This hurts. I’m so offended. I deserve better than this.

5. Yeah, well, what about my coworker? In fact, you aren’t the greatest yourself on this, boss!

I haven’t said each of these out loud, but have said them to myself or thought them. Still counts. Still foolish. Rather than receiving the course correction, I protested and bucked and grew bitter within me. The times I received a rebuke with understanding and humility, I grew and was blessed for the correction. My personal life and career were each greatly blessed by well-timed rebukes that I received properly.

So you have to ask yourself are you more like the person of understanding or the fool in this proverb? You’ll notice it in your attitude and self-talk.–JMB