Stupid Is Scriptural, But Not Advisable
Proverbs 12:1 NKJV
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.
This title is for my wife, who hates the word stupid. It's the "S" word for her, along with the word shut up. And I admit it's not the nicest of words, certainly not something you would want to be called. And yet our Scripture for today does exactly that. And lest I be accused of twisting the scriptures for my own selfish purposes, the NLT, ESV, NASB, and CSB translations all use the same word. If you hate being corrected, you are stupid.
The Greek word for stupid means senseless or foolish. And we have to remember that the Scriptures were written long before anyone was worried about hurting feelings. If you hate being corrected, you are going to make some senseless, foolish decisions. If no one can correct you, then you are stuck within your own limitations and dominated by pride.
I realize that some people have experienced some abusive correction, and I am not making excuses for that egregious error. But since this verse is in the context of Scripture, God's correction is life-giving, never abusive. If I am going down the wrong path, I want to be corrected. Correction can save us untold misery and heartache.
God's correction comes most often through the primary way He communicates with us: His Word. As we read His Word, we'll see light, and often that light shines on the error of our ways.
Over the years, I have just been minding my own business, enjoying the Scriptures, when a verse figuratively pierced my heart. But God's correction does not leave us hurting and wounded. We may feel the sting, but it's typically the sting of realizing that we have been wrong. The Holy Spirit, who guides us into truth, will also be there to comfort us and help us get on the right track.
The best thing for us to do is to love instruction and correction. We want to keep learning and growing, so God's instruction is invaluable. The next time you are corrected, smile and say, "Thank you, Lord!" I refuse to be stupid. Count me as one of your smart ones!