A Family Legacy and Brute Beasts

Proverbs 12:1
Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

This proverb states a love/hate contrast and it compares all those who hate instruction, knowledge and reproof with brute beasts or animals. But what does that mean? Animals can be trained, can’t they? Do you know why they shoot horses when they break a leg? Can’t they just put the leg in a cast until it heals like they would with you and me? No, a horse will beat the cast off and will not allow itself to be restrained so that its leg will heal. It is similar with a dog with a broken leg. The dog will continually work at the cast until it is chewed off. But we don't shoot dogs with broken legs. We put an Elizabethan collar on them – so they can’t get to their leg. This is also necessary if they have a sore on their ear or head that won’t heal because they keep scratching it.

Now you might wonder why it’s called an Elizabethan collar. Here is a picture of Queen Elizabeth I.

There, does that explain it? Now I don’t think Queen Elizabeth’s collar was intended to keep her from scratching her ear (although it may have prevented that), but you can see the similarity.

The point here is that while animals must be trained by their responding to immediate rewards and punishments, people can be reasoned with because they can see the long-range consequences of the things they are doing. When you can’t reason with people, whether they are children or adults, then they are acting like brute beasts and they are trained with immediate rewards and punishments. The Scriptures often make this kind of comparison.

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.” (Psalm 32:8-10)

“A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.” (Proverbs 26:3)

Now often we interpret the fool as an immoral or rebellious person, but sometimes it just means immature. For example, immaturity is the nature of children.

“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15)

But as children grow up they become increasing aware of the long term consequences of their actions and can and should be reasoned with first. The objective is that when the children become adults they no longer think and act like children but are self directing in their pursuit of instruction and knowledge – and even reproof.

Note here in our text that instruction, knowledge and reproof are grouped together. We tend to think of reproof as something to avoid, but the Scriptures say this.

“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (Prov 9:8)

“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head . . .” (Psa 141:5a)

“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:” (Proverbs 6:23)

So in building a Family Legacy children need to submit to, embrace and love the instruction and reproofs of their parents as the way of life and parents needs to recognize that it is the commandments and law of the Lord that is light and always direct their children toward those.