Teaching and Learning

Good teaching comes from good learning—and Proverbs has more to say to students than to teachers. Proverbs is concerned with the learning of wisdom. The book makes it clear that there are no good alternatives to learning wisdom. We are either becoming wise learners or refusing to learn and becoming foolish failures. Proverbs encourages us to make the right choice.

Wise Learners

Proverb(s)

Foolish Failures

Quietly accept instruction and criticism

10:8; 23:12; 25:12

Ignore instruction

Love discipline

12:1

Hate correction

Listen to advice

12:15; 21:11; 24:6

Think they need no advice

Accept parents' discipline

13:1

Mock parents

Lead others to life

10:17

Lead others astray

Receive honor

13:18

End in poverty and shame

Profit from constructive rebuke

15:31, 32; 29:1

Self-destruct by refusing rebuke

Advice to Teachers:

Help people avoid traps (13:14)
use pleasant words (16:21)
and speak at the right time (15:23; 18:20).