Jordan - Proverbs 29

Stubbornness.  What a strange part of the human character.  Times when you may be wrong or you may be right, but regardless you refuse to listen and accept a differing opinion.  I work with some stubborn people who have certain ways of doing things when it comes to managing software.  There could a be a new and awesome way of doing things, but, because its not the way they have done it in the past, there is no way they are going to consider the new option.  But, I am stubborn too about some things (read: a lot of things, just ask Erin).  Still, these work issues and trivial day to day things tend to dissipate after the initial moment because most mature people know their priorities.  I wonder what I am truly stubborn about?

The first verse today got to me: "One who is often reproved, yet remains stubborn, will suddenly be broken beyond healing."

The idea of being broken of stubbornness made me think of how I react as a dad sometimes.  David can be stubborn when he wants to be, and normally its over either dinner or bedtime.  Food doesn't really interest him too much so when he isn't hungry he'll just play with his food or keep the same bite in his mouth for 10 minutes.  So on these rare occurrences, Erin and I will start off nicely asking him to "Please eat, David."  Then it becomes "Eat, David!"  Then it sometimes escalates to "If you don't eat you won't be able to have (or play) _insert something he was talking about here_."  He starts to see us get visibly frustrated.  And sometimes, when you least expect it, he'll just break out into a huge cry.  And, not a cry because he is still being stubborn, but a cry that says: "Why is this such a big issue, its just food!?"  Its at that point that you realize that well, maybe you were being just as, if not more, stubborn than he was.  

And this is where we all break, when the levity of situation hits you like a ton of bricks.  After those "encounters with a 2 year old," we always hug and get over it within a few minutes.  But its the last two words of the verse that I hope and pray none of us ever need to encounter; "..beyond healing."