Having One Of These Will Bring Blessings

Prov. 15:31-32 - He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. NASB

     Ears That Listen

If you are one that is able to listen to someone else giving you correct advice you will be blessed. If your ears are able to listen to the life-giving reproof from others you will prosper. The item we need are ears that will listen to others when they share correct information with us.

    How Many Times Have We Said, "If Only I Would Have Listened."

As I sit here and right this Pump Up I am smiling, but when I was going through life looking back on another mistake I made because I would not listen I wasn't laughing. I wasn't even smiling. I was asking myself, "Why didn't you listen?"

The answer is right there in Proverbs because I didn't have ears that would listen. I thought I knew what was best. The one thing I find amazing is the times I didn't listen and I was correct I can't remember those situations as easily as I remember the ones where I didn't listen and was wrong.

    Reminds Me Of The "How To Be Successful Story"

A young college student was sitting in the 5,000 member congregation. He was going to graduate from the local seminary that year. He asked the preacher after service if he could meet with him for 5 minutes. The preacher told him to stop by the office tomorrow morning at 9 am.

The young man was there promptly. As he sat in the preacher's office he explained that he would be graduating in the spring and wanted to have a successful ministry like his and was there any advice he could give him.
 
The preacher told him why sure. "I can tell you how to have a successful ministry in three words."

The young student said, "Are you kidding me?" The preacher said, "Not at all. Are you ready to write them down?"

"Yes." he replied.
 
"Make Right Decisions." the preacher said.

As the young student wrote down those three words he asked,"How will I know if I'm making the right decisions?"

"I can answer your question with one word. Experience!" said the preacher.

With a pondered look on his face he asked, "And how do I get this experience?"

With a big smile on the preacher's face he said, "By Making Wrong Decisions."

There my friends is how to be successful. You will make decisions in life and not all of them are going to be the right ones. You just have to learn from your mistakes. Make the necessary adjustments, make another decision and continue to move forward.

    The Choice Is Yours

You can either listen to others and be successful as Proverbs states or don't listen to others and learn from your own mistakes. Hopefully, your mistakes will not be too costly and you will be able to rebound and move forward becoming successful.
 
The choice really is yours.

Think On These:

The biggest fool of all is the one who refuses to learn from his mistakes.
 
Making mistakes isn't stupid, disregarding them is.
 
A mistake is proof that someone was at least trying to accomplish something.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word