Proverbs 1:29-30
“For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”
A warning is given to everyone in Proverbs 1, that God will not always put up with our foolishness. God says there will come a day when someone will call on Him, but He will not answer. Imagine, God saying that He would no longer be available. What would move God from saying in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee…” to being a God Who says in verse 28, “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer…”? It very simply comes down to God’s people wasting His time by not following His knowledge nor listening to His counsel and reproof.
God says in Genesis 6:3, “My spirit shall not always strive with man…” There may come a time when God no longer puts up with our foolishness. God has given us every opportunity to turn out right, but when we choose to ignore His knowledge, disregard His counsel, and sneer at His reproof then God will simply leave us to our own devices. There are several lessons God is teaching in these verses.
First, don’t waste your time on people who don’t want your time. There are many people who give their lives to helping people, and if you are one of those, you will oftentimes find yourself spending more time on the ones who don’t want your knowledge or counsel than on those who really want to do right. I know it sounds harsh to say don’t waste your time on these people, but there are so many more people who truly want your knowledge and counsel. When you spend your time trying to turn someone around who doesn’t want your advice or counsel, then you are wasting time that could be spent with someone who truly desires to do right. God gives us very wise counsel about this in Matthew 7:6 when He says, “…neither cast ye your pearls before swine…”
Second, don’t waste someone else’s time when you already have your mind made up. Don’t patronize someone just because you want them to accept you. If you already have your mind made up, then why would you waste their time? They have people who truly want their advice and counsel, and for you to waste their time when your mind has already been made up is taking time away from someone who will heed their advice. If you’ve already made your decision and nothing is going to change it, then don’t waste another’s time by asking for their advice and counsel.
Third, don’t waste the time of knowledge and counsel you’ve received in the past. Most of us have received so much knowledge and counsel through sermons, lessons and counseling sessions with wise people of God that we already know what we should do. Don’t waste the time they gave in the past; the advice and counsel is still good for today.
Fourth, don’t waste the knowledge, counsel and reproof that is found in God’s Word. Every day you should spend time with God learning His knowledge and letting His Holy Spirit counsel and reprove you through His Word. God preserved His Word so you can have this advice. Don’t waste God’s time by not heeding it. There will come a day if you waste the knowledge, counsel and advice that you will be left to your own devices, and that will only lead to heartache.