Hear, Listen and Follow

“Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” (Proverbs 8:33).
When I was a teenager, my parents would tell me to do something, and my blood would boil. I had come to resent their authority over me so much that I bristled at the mere suggestion that I should heed their advice. As a result, I endured a lot of headache and heartache that I could have easily avoided. Here I was a spoiled, rebellious, obnoxious teenager with absolutely zero life experience, no job or income, and I thought I knew best and should be running the show. Only a parent’s love can endure the chaos, cruelty and absurdity of the teenage years. My parents were patient and loving, and because of their prayers and the grace of God, I made it through those turbulent years and now see the error of my ways. Nevertheless, I brought my parents a lot of pain. I know it hurt them tremendously when they gave me good instruction, and I refused it. Think for a moment how much greater we hurt God, when we refuse His instruction and plan for our lives. He loves us with a love far greater than that of our parents. Yet we constantly spurn Him and reject His love. We act like spoiled teenagers when we choose to go our own way and attempt to run our lives on our own. We can be so foolish and stiffed-necked! We often ridicule the Israelites for their stubbornness and lack of faith, but we are far greater transgressors, because we have the entire revelation of God through Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Men of God, be diligent to hear the instruction of God, and then act on what He has given you.