The powerful
destructive force of Hurricane Ivan was witnessed by many in Alabama and
Florida this past week. Thousands upon thousands fled coastal areas to
avoid the storm's path. But a few foolhardy individuals did not. Some
actually traveled great distances in order to get in Ivan's way and
experience its fury firsthand. We're made to wonder about the sanity and
sense of those who would make such a choice. Yet, in the spiritual
realm, many make similar choices everyday.
In
Proverbs 1:27-30,
Wisdom warns that those who reject her have chosen a disastrous destiny
indeed. They have placed themselves in the path of a terrifying storm
with little hope of rescue. Wisdom says,
"When your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a
whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 "Then they will
call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but
they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not
choose the fear of the LORD, 30 They would have none of my counsel And
despised my every rebuke."
My friends, when we
reject instruction, correction or rebuke that is based in the wisdom of
God, we are choosing to be destroyed by the storms of life.
But it is so easy to
dismiss criticism and rebuke. We rationalize our actions. We justify
ourselves. We may do this whether it is that we've been told that we
need to attend assemblies of the church more faithfully, or study our
Bibles more frequently, or stop smoking, or stop speeding, or stop
gossiping or any other of 1,000 rebukes we might need to hear. All too
often we choose to stay in the path of the storm.
A day before Ivan
hit, the weather was beautiful. It might have been easy for those in
Ivan's path to convince themselves that no storm was coming -- that they
could continue as they were, where they were. If that's what the news
and media outlets had been saying, many would have stayed. It is easier
and more pleasant to be told what we want to hear. But, "It is better to
hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools"
(Ecclesiastes 7:5).
Be wise. Flee the
storm. Listen carefully and humbly to rebuke. Make corrections in your
life where they are needed. "Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool"
(Proverbs 17:10).
Other Articles by Steve Klein
Winning Last Place
The Simple
Truth
Doing Odd Things to Get Even