Understanding

"He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding." Proverbs 15:32

Compliments are easy to absorb, but criticism is much more difficult.  However, one's best friend will tell him the truth no matter what the consequences, and to reject constructive criticism is the height of folly.  Such an attitude bespeaks pride.  Some of the prophets of Israel suffered because the king wanted to hear only pleasing things.  Prophets who could outdo others in predicting rosy futures were promoted to positions of favor.  Conversely, those who told the truth, no matter how severe, were remanded to dungeons or exiled.  the king always suffered the consequences of his own folly.  By contrast there was King David, who when rebuked by faithful prophets of God, repented of his sins, put on sackcloth and ashes, ad literally groveled before the Lord.  This man loved his own soul.  This man got understanding.  

A good listener must have the spirit of meekness or he will never hear the voice of reproof without resentful reaction, and meekness is a very rare quality in our world.  Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." (Matt. 5:5)  Meekness is a quality that has to be cultivated.  One must deliberately, by an act of the will, humble himself before God daily, acknowledging his sins.  Some of the prayers of David are beautifully interspersed with confessions of unworthiness.  Meekness is also often the product of suffering.

Peter in his earlier years was brash, impulsive, and quick tempered, but in that courtyard scene, when the rooster's voice three times signaled the folly of human resolutions unaided by divine power, and when the piercing eyes of the Son of God searched his soul, driving him to Gethsemane and to his knees, a different Peter emerged- a Peter meek and powerful.  To say it better:  His meekness was his power.

Most of the strife in our world may be traced to misunderstanding.  There a too few people with the gift of being able to sit down and analyze a situation without emotion.  The prayer of Solomon was for a wise and understanding heart.  His prayer was answered, and today, thousands, of years after his death, his wisdom is a legend.