Proverbs 12:15
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The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
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Every fool thinks he is right. He cannot think otherwise. Everyone else is wrong! A wise man learns to resent his own thoughts. He knows they are selfish, biased, and deceitful. He chooses to listen attentively and submissively to the counsel of others, for he knows they are speaking with less selfishness, bias, and deceit than his heart speaks.
Man is corrupt from the inside out. His heart - the internal place of affections, motives, and choices - is the most corrupt part of all. The Bible declares the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, which indicts it horribly (Jer 17:9)! Who can truly know the perverse nature of their heart? Not you!
By nature, we hate God, wisdom, correction, and those who correct us. By nature, we love ourselves, presume we are right, and believe we do everything better than others. The only reason we ever fail is someone else's fault or bad circumstances. We have every base covered to continue believing we were and are always right.
To crawl out of this cesspool of human pride and rebellion, you must learn to mistrust, criticize, and resent your own thoughts. This is one of the toughest challenges of wisdom, for with powerful instincts and lusts we want to protect and follow our thoughts. It is the ultimate exercise in humility to admit an error and accept another opinion.
The single best measure of wisdom is your ability to crush your own thoughts and receive instruction. This is the most common point made by Solomon throughout the book of Proverbs. He constantly appeals to his hearers to receive instruction, knowing that their hearts are rebelling against any advice contrary to their own.
Each man must come to God and Scripture in total trust and submission. A holy esteem must be formed for every precept; a holy hatred must be cultivated for every contrary thought (Ps 119:128). Solomon wrote, "Trust in the lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" (3:5). "Be not wise in thine own eyes" (3:7).
We must silence our screaming hearts! Crave wisdom, and admit it is not in you by nature. Prove all things by Scripture (I Thess 5:21; Acts 17:11). Use a multitude of counselors for decisions (11:14; 15:22; 24:6). Keep your heart diligently (4:23; Is 8:20).
Daily choices bring your heart into play. Fools listen; wise men consult God's word. Fools rebel against instruction and warnings; wise men appreciate and seek them.
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