“People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.” Proverbs 10:17 GNT
When we started our relationship, my wife and I had one prayer and that was for God to help us stay teachable. As a Relationship Counsellor, she had discovered that being teachable could solve almost any relationship conflict that could arise. She was right.
I didn’t know much about such matters, so I agreed with her once she explained it. Now, seven years later, I’m glad I did.
When you are set in your ways and unwilling to take new advice, even the Holy Spirit can’t work through you because He is constantly teaching but you’re not listening.
What happens is that you’ll lead your life based on the limited human wisdom you have, make mistakes and encounter failures that you shouldn’t have experienced.
The sad thing about this is that other people may not know you’re not teachable and will end up trying to emulate you. When they come to you for advice and you give it from your limited wisdom, they also make wrong turns.
You not only put yourself in danger but also endanger the lives of others.
On the other hand, being humble enough to accept correction, even from the Holy Spirit, helps you navigate life better. And you become the life-giving compass for others too.
It’s not easy to always heed corrections because sometimes, we also want to be right. But this approach won’t serve us tomorrow.
How can we stay teachable at work?
When you collaborate with other people, instructions and corrections fly around every day. Sometimes, I take these corrections and admit I was wrong. Other times, I can get so stubborn and angry that I even correct the other person for trying to correct me. Ha!
Accepting correction takes two steps:
- Listening to the correction: Most of us already do this. We stay and listen. Sometimes we look remorseful and nod our heads in agreement.
- Acting on the correction: Not many cross over to this stage. For some, once we listen to the correction, we mentally toss it out and continue as usual. To act isn’t to act on the correction immediately but to first assess what parts of it need to be adopted. That’s where humility starts. Sometimes, you may not need to adopt a correction, especially after seeking good counsel and realizing that your method was better. But having an open mind towards it is the beginning of being teachable.
When I realize that I am unwilling to even listen to the correction given to me, I recognize the pride. I’ll struggle with it a little, but then I eventually ask God for help to assess the situation.
Always being corrected can make us look incompetent. But as we grow and find expression for God’s gifts in our lives, we accept correction better and still deliver unquestionable excellence. That’s the real deal.
For me to always remain teachable, I must become the kind of person who…
It takes more than determination to move from pride to humility. Your heart posture and perspective of yourself will have to shift. And it is possible.
If you’re determined to lead yourself and others to life, say a prayer and reflect on the kind of person you must become. Then live it daily.
Leave a Reply