Day 2: Loving Instruction Is Loving God
Breaking Bread — 31-Day Devotional Journey
Scripture Reference: Proverbs 12:1
Apostle Natrietia McClendon shares insight from Proverbs 12:1 on instruction, correction, and growing in intimacy with God.
The Word of God speaks plainly in Proverbs 12:1 (NKJV): “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Scripture does not soften the truth, because growth in God requires honesty of heart. Instruction is not punishment; it is evidence of love. Correction is not rejection; it is direction.
Fear of failure often resists instruction because it associates correction with loss, shame, or inadequacy. Yet God does not correct to condemn. He corrects to establish. Those who receive instruction gain knowledge, and biblical knowledge is not information alone—it is intimacy. Scripture reveals that knowing God is relational, not distant. A heart that welcomes correction is a heart that desires closeness with Him.
God’s discipline flows from love, not frustration. He instructs because He sees what can grow, what can mature, and what can flourish. Avoiding correction delays development, but embracing instruction deepens trust and dependence on God. A teachable posture keeps the heart open and the spirit aligned with His purposes.
Loving instruction is choosing relationship over pride. It is agreeing with God’s process and allowing Him to shape character, faith, and understanding. Where instruction is welcomed, growth follows, and intimacy with God increases.
KEY INSIGHT
“I’ve had so many failures and if I allowed all the ways that I have failed to keep me from moving forward I would never be in the place that I am today.”
REFLECTION
In what area of life has correction felt difficult to receive, and how can obedience and trust be practiced there right now according to God’s Word?