on Proverbs 12

One thing I do really love is that the word of God is timeless. God's word speaks into our lives in powerful, real, and profound ways all the time. My prayer and hope is that the more we read the word of God, the more we become like Jesus. Here are some thoughts on Proverbs 12.

Proverbs 12:1, "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge. Whoever hates correction is stupid."
  Discipline is a word that brings up many negative feelings. We remember the days of being grounded, not being able to watch TV, being put in time-out, or being spanked, swatted, etc. However, the writer of Proverbs seems to have a different approach. If you love discipline then you will love knowledge. If you see the value in being corrected, learning from mistakes, have the humility to admit you were wrong, and the enthusiasm to correct/change your foolish behavior than the writer contends you will love knowledge. To take it one step further and to fit this verse in the overarching theme of Proverbs, good things will come to those who love discipline.
  Where I think this conversation needs to go is two-fold. 1) I think and personally believe discipline always should make the person being disciplined a better person. The idea of discipline should always be behavior change not punishment or even a power trip, but rather the result should be a change of the heart. We discipline out of love, not power. 2) Learn to set a powerful example. Humans beings imitate what they see and especially imitate those people who they like and respect. If you're in a position of authority (parent, teacher, older sibling, etc) be a source of kindness, love, and respect. Younger people will imitate good behavior if they see see it.
Proverbs 12:20, "Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy."
  It can sometimes be very difficult to measure a person's heart. Because we don't fully know their whole story. We don't know often their struggles and what they deal with on a daily basis. But, the good news is that is for God to know not us. We do know our heart, and we do know where we stand. Is your life looking to promote peace, heal brokenness, give encouragement, and point people closer to Jesus? Or is your life about lifting yourself up and always being right?
  This is a great thing to really look at, pray about, and begin to look to serve. I look to volunteer one time a week, and I will say that has really allowed my heart to be focused more on serving the Kingdom than myself. Please know that we do this journey together, and we are for you in your pursuit of a deeper relationship with Jesus.