Apply your heart to instruction and discipline,

....    And your ears to words of knowledge  (Proverbs 23:12). When the Lord sent Isaiah to backsliding Israel,  He told them “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10). Note that the heart and the ears are mentioned in both quotations, and that the Isiah passage helps us to understand both what it means and what it does not mean to apply our hearts to instruction and our ears to knowledge. A dull heart is one that is reluctant to embrace instruction, discipline and correction. A heavy ear is one that hears only what it wants to hear.

Behind the last part of the Isiah quote is the implication that dull hearts and heavy ears lead to the need of our being healed. In other words there are negative consequences to our rebellion (see Galatians 6:7). The next verse in the  Proverbs reference commands correction not to be withheld from a child. Elsewhere we read that he who withholds discipline hates the child (Proverbs 13:24). The point is that if we don't heed instruction and discipline in our youth, we will have to learn it in adulthood. And the consequences of our adult rebellion are likely much more severe than the consequences of childhood rebellion. Many of us have learnt this truth the hard way, from the school of hard knocks.

In Proverbs 3:7 and 8 we read “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.” In other words, putting all this together,  if we are applying our ears to words of knowledge we will see that the words are there for our provision and protection. On the other hand, applying our hearts to instruction and discipline,  is about putting our heart into seeking understanding, and doing it proactively. Interestingly twelve-step programs lead us this way through these things. Those of us who do this have found in the process, that there are many hidden things that trip us up. They are hidden for various reasons from our understating. And we cannot turn and be healed if we are not willing to seek them out and expose them in our lives.

Lord Jesus, You told us that You came to heal the broken hearted and to set the captives free (Luke 4:18). There are many exceedingly great and precious promises that enable us to get there, but they are not automatic. Again Lord, you tells us not to be sluggish but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (Hebrews 6:12). I don't want to be a casual Christian Lord, so please help me (us) to put our heart, mind, soul and strength into these things. We thank You in advance for the results (the abundant life),  and we give You the glory in Your precious Name Amen