Proverbs 9:9 – Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
Correcting or advising people brings out different reactions from them. Some think they know it all and insult the advice giver, admonishing them as a know-it-all or telling them to mind their own business. Some others heed the advice, learn from what others are telling them, and work on improving themselves on what they learn. They will grow in wisdom and maturity.
The Bible, in this verse, tells us to give advice or feedback only to those who are open to receiving it and not waste it on those who will mock us for giving them advice. The wise, as this verse says, will learn from that advice and become still wiser, while those who mock will learn nothing and not grow.
Learning never stops. We learn from books, friends, parents, siblings, teachers, and nature. Everywhere we look, God is giving us opportunities to learn. We must have the heart to learn, and when we have the heart to learn, we become wiser.
By reading the Bible once, we should not think that we have understood its meaning. We must read it over and over, and each time God will reveal something new to us. Let us not infer from the word of God based on our intelligence but let God instruct us and teach us His word as we open our hearts and minds to Him. He will make us wiser men and women.
