Read Proverbs Chapter 15.
“One who listens to life-giving rebukes will be home among the wise.”
The word “among” occurs 222 times in the Old Testament, meaning the center or inner part of anything. When you listen to life-giving rebukes you put yourself in the center of wisdom. It’s important to notice it doesn’t say just “rebukes” it says “life-giving rebukes”.
Rebuke is another word for feedback. Feedback, in this context, is any information you get about yourself. Whether you realize it or not, you are constantly receiving feedback. You receive feedback from your boss on whether you are doing a good job or not. You receive feedback from your spouse when their eyes light up when you walk in the room, or sometimes when they don’t. You receive feedback from your friends when they comment on your outfit. Your body is constantly giving you feedback: your eyes are tired from looking at a computer screen, your ankle hurts because you twisted it, your body hurts from the work out you did yesterday.
All of these are forms of feedback. What you have to decide is if it is life-giving or not? Is it something that will help you do better or is it something that something that will ultimately cause you harm?
When I was single, I had a lot of feedback, from everyone. There wasn’t anyone I knew who didn’t have input into my dating life. It took me awhile to figure it out, but I finally realized what feedback was best for me. It was from my married friends. Not just any of my married friends, it was the ones who had good marriages. Marriages like I wanted one day for myself. I learned quickly to discard the rest and listen to the best. Their feedback was the most life-giving to me in that particular situation.
It is important to have feedback in your life. Just make sure it’s life-giving and not life-taking. Learn from the best, discard the rest.
