Reading Plan:  

Proverbs 19:20  

Against the Grain

Author: Ben Wade 

“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” Proverbs 19:20  

I love the book of Proverbs! Written by King Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Book of Proverbs covers a wide range of topics, including but not limited to parenting, discipline, family-life, self-control, business matters, words, our speech, and marriage. In the Book of Proverbs, we are given practical insights and guidelines for life, or more simply, practical wisdom for daily living.  

TIP: The book of Proverbs is a great entry point to begin building a daily rhythm of reading scripture. There are 31 Chapters in Proverbs, one chapter for every day in a month. Match the date with the matching Chapter, for example, if today is the 27th, then read Proverbs Chapter 27.  

Today's passage comes from Proverbs 19:20. “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.”  

The first thing that stands out to me is the clear directive that comes from this verse.  

“Listen to advice, and accept discipline....” two concepts that go against the grain of our culture.  

Listen to advice. Doesn’t that imply that we don’t have the answers on our own? Now, deep down we know this, but our culture and society tell us, “We got this”, “We don’t need anyone else”, and “You do you.” Our culture of independence leads us to a place where we are closed off from advice and instruction. This is a recipe for a hard heart and a critical spirit.  

Accept Discipline. Most of us have grown up in a Western culture that has inherently taught us to avoid discipline. Think about it, is it good to go to the principal's office? Or do we view it as positive when we are held accountable to a standard? The word has been distorted for so many of us that we can’t wrap our minds around the idea of accepting discipline. The more I walk on this journey of following Jesus, the more I realize how different His ways really are from mine. If my ways don’t look different than the world around me, am I really following Him? Following His ways so often begins with shifting my mindset. You see, we read scripture, not for information but for formation. To be formed into the likeness of Jesus, beginning with our thoughts and mindsets.  

As our mindsets and thoughts begin to move toward His ways, we recognize that God places people around us who we can go to for advice, and we begin to recognize that accepting discipline keeps us within God's boundaries where we get to experience God's blessings.  

You will be counted among the wise. Proverbs has a lot to say about wisdom. In chapter 19 alone, we see several references to the value and importance of wisdom. Verse 8 says, “The one who gets wisdom loves life.” Verse 11 says, “A person's wisdom yields patience.” Chapter 19 also heeds warning to the path of the unwise, or the opposite of wisdom, foolishness. Could it be this simple? Is wisdom that easily attainable? The formula is there for us. Listen to advice, accept discipline, and in the end, you will be counted among the wise.  

Reflection: 

• Where do your thoughts take you when you hear the word "discipline"?  
• Which one of these is hardest for you?  
• In which area do you need to grow? 

Family Application: Wisdom starts with listening.

Author: Jana Whittington 

• Our devotion today is coming from the book of Proverbs. Proverbs begins with a clear statement of its purpose to impart wisdom for godly living. Let’s take a look at today’s verse. Proverbs 19:20, “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” 
• So many key nuggets of information here! The first is to listen to instructions. This is a pretty basic part of growing up. When you think about it, how did you learn your alphabet, or how did you learn to add and subtract? You learned by listening to someone older who took the time to teach you. None of us can know everything about everything! We need the expertise of others. Next is to accept correction or discipline. This can be difficult and can be a hard lesson. But lastly, wisdom is our reward from these actions. Proverbs 19:20 is simply calling us to listen to the counsel of others. Those who listen are the wise people of the world. Today is your opportunity to accept and receive advice and instruction so that you will be wise for the rest of your life! 
• Prayer: God, thank You for the wise people in my life who I can talk to and trust. Help me to be a good listener, and help me to accept advice from others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.