The "Unteachables"

"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." 

Proverbs 3:7-8 KJV

Self-confidence is a good thing. We teach it to our children and encourage those struggling with low self-esteem because we want people to be confident in who God made them to be. However, a subtle trap opens up when healthy confidence crosses the line into self-reliance—when we start to become wise in our own eyes.

When we lean entirely on our own intellect and strength, pride takes root. We become overly competitive, inconsiderate of others, and unteachable. Solomon warns us against thinking too highly of ourselves, urging us instead to remain humble and fear the Lord.

Overconfidence naturally leads us to place ourselves above God and those around us. When that happens, our spiritual growth becomes stunted. We learn less, listen less, and if left unchecked, begin to regress in our faith and drift in our relationship with God.

This is precisely why Scripture calls us back to the fear of the Lord.

This isn't a terrifying fear of punishment, but a deep awe, reverence, and honor for who God is. Fearing God immediately resets our perspective and puts us back in our right position before Him. Recognizing that before an almighty God we are mere human beings and powerless creatures cultivates genuine humility and total dependence upon Him.

Pride inevitably leads us into sin. But when we walk in holy reverence for God, departing from evil happens naturally.

Solomon closes this wisdom with a beautiful promise: Humility and the fear of God are actually good for your well-being.

Walking in reverence doesn't diminish you; it brings inner peace, joy, spiritual healing, and deep strength. Just as physical food nourishes and sustains the body, walking in humble dependence on God serves as rich, life-giving nourishment for your soul.

Arrow Prayer 

Lord, teach us Christ-like humility. Help us to go beyond our sinful nature that appeals to our pride. Teach us to have reverential fear of You as we live that we may turn away from all forms of evil.  Amen.