×

A Prayer About Teachability

A Prayer About Teachability
He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. Proverbs 15:31-32
Lord Jesus, scanning through the Book of Proverbs recently, I noticed how many verses about staying teachable, receiving correction, and loving discipline I’ve underlined over the course of the years. I wish the sheer number of highlighted verses on this topic in my thirty-year-old Bible was an indication of how humble and non-defensive of a man that I am. But that’s simply not the case. I can still blame-shift, make excuses and sew fig-leaves with the best of them.
So here’s my prayer, Jesus, and it will certainly take the incredible resources and the power of the gospel to pull this one off: I want to grieve and be more offended by my own defensiveness than the defensiveness I meet in others. Please convict me, Holy Spirit, when my pride, my insecurities, and my self-righteousness keep me from loving correction and receiving “life-giving rebukes,” no matter who they come from.
Jesus, help me humbly to anticipate and welcome feedback from my spouse about my attitude, choices and excesses. Help me to hear your voice in things my children may want to/need to share with me, about the past and the present. Help me to cultivate friendships in which groaning and growing in grace together are as important as the fun stuff we choose to do. Help not to ignore concerns and corrections from mentors, “underlings”, neighbors… even angels you send.
Help me, Jesus, not just to read the Bible, but to have the Bible constantly reading me… exposing my sin and brokenness, and revealing more and more and more of the riches of the gospel. Indeed, there is no way I will make “my home among the wise” without having my heart at home in your mercy, grace and peace.
Jesus, it’s because you make yourself of no reputation, becoming sin for me on the cross, that I don’t have to live for my own reputation, or sense of being celebrated, appreciated and honored. Because I am no longer guilty or condemned for my sin, I can live in the freedom convictability, teachability and humility. Help me, Jesus, help me. Very amen, I pray.

LOAD MORE
Loading