Posts Tagged: Proverbs 29:1

“How to Avoid Breaking Your Neck”

On December 29, 2021 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,

will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” (Proverbs 29:1, English Standard Version)

I don’t want to have a broken neck, but I think I am in imminent danger. No, I’m not taking up skiing. I am not trying skateboarding, even though I would like to. It is much more serious than that.

And I’ve been warned—many times. I am seventy years old, and I keep getting rebuked for the same things, so a broken neck shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Here is a very partial list of things for which I am often rebuked:

  • Talking too much and unhelpfully.
  • Eating too much junk food.
  • Trying to pack too much into too little time.
  • Negative self-talk (a.k.a. being too full of self-doubt).
  • Scratching my head until it bleeds.
  • Making impulsive and wrong decisions and acting on those decisions.
  • Not paying attention.

Now I (and you) need to be careful at this point. Sometimes, people criticize us for things that are really their problems. Psychologists call this “projection”. And lets face it: For some people, such projection is their life’s project. You and I can safely and steadfastly refuse to take very seriously such criticism.

What I’m talking about is the attempts of good friends and significant others to point out things we really really need to work on. And often, it is our own conscience, or our better selves, or the Holy Spirit that is trying to get out attention.

So, if I/we want to avoid a broken neck, then I/we need to be better listeners. Being open to correction can head off kinds of problems, including broken necks.

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