Saturday, May 21
Reader: “Wisdom will save you from evil people,”
Response: “from those whose words are twisted.”
Scripture: Proverbs 2:9-15
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
Wisdom will save you from evil people,
from those whose words are twisted.
These men turn from the right way
to walk down dark paths.
They take pleasure in doing wrong,
and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
Their actions are crooked,
and their ways are wrong.
Some thoughts:
One of the hard parts in dealing with a short section of Scripture is that many times it is developing what was said previously so in reading it by itself we can miss the greater significance. Today’s passage is like that. It begins with the word “then” which tells you immediately it is connected to what came before (yesterday’s passage Prov 2:6-8.) And you’ll recall yesterday’s passage was based on the verbs (of an earlier passage) associated with gaining wisdom: listen, treasure, tune, concentrate, cry out, ask, search, and seek. (Prov 2:1-4) Yesterday’s material cited the benefits of gaining God’s wisdom.
So 1) based on our searching in the Scriptures (2:1-5) and 2) God rewarding the seeking (2:6-8) we come today 3) to the second time Solomon uses this phrase, “Then you will understand. . .” In God’s wisdom we discover what is right, just, and fair which reveals the right way to go, the right path to follow. In contrast, today’s world operates where fallible human beings decide what is right, just, and fair. Not surprisingly, there is little agreement and multiple paths in many directions! How often have you heard, “It’s just not fair! It’s not my fault.” Relying on human wisdom in whatever form is deceptive, often leading to disastrous ends.
Having been given free will by our Creator, the life of a human being is filled with choices, free will in action which requires wisdom. Those choices have consequences. Exercising God’s wisdom brings great benefits. Wisdom entering your heart is another way of saying exercising God’s wisdom becomes a part of the way you live. Such a person consistently makes wise choices. Wisdom is not the same as intelligence. An ant has wisdom! Yet no one would say an ant is smart, but the little creature knows how to negotiate life very successfully. (Prov 30:24-28)
Wisdom helps provide the ability to speak or act in different situations with skill. We’ve all met people that always seem to have a wise answer. And we like to be around them. We’ve also met people who have an answer for everything and we enjoy being elsewhere!
Have you noticed that evil people are not interested in wisdom? Evil and wisdom are not compatible, they are going in opposite directions. Evil presents the wrong as right and what is right as wrong and even calls it evil! Again, we have only to look at our society to see the evidence all around us where something that is clearly at odds with God’s word is championed as good, noble, and right. And the people who oppose such a twisted viewpoint are viewed as evil. Wisdom from God enables one to discern the truth. It behooves us to immerse ourselves in God’s word that we may grow daily in wisdom. “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) It is a wise choice!
Music: “Be Thou My Vision” Sam Robson (I thought it interesting that one of him was wearing glasses!)
Prayer:O Thou Most High, in the way of thy appointment I am waiting for thee, my desire is to thy name, my mind to remembrance of thee. I am a sinner, but not insensible of my state. My iniquities are great and numberless, but thou art adequate to my relief, for thou are rich in mercy; the blood of thy Son can cleanse from all sin; the agency of thy Spirit can subdue my most powerful lusts. Give me a tender, wakeful conscience that can smite and torment me when I sin. May I be consistent in conversation and conduct, the same alone as in company, in prosperity and adversity, accepting all thy commandments as right, and hating every false way. May I never be satisfied with my present spiritual progress, but to faith add virtue, knowledge, temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. May I never neglect what is necessary to constitute Christian character, and needful to complete it. May I cultivate the expedient, develop the lovely, adorn the gospel, recommend faith in Jesus, accommodate myself to thy providence. Keep me from sinking or sinning in the evil day; help me to carry into ordinary life portions of divine truth and use them on suitable occasions, so that its doctrines may inform, its warnings caution, its rules guide, and its promises comfort me. This I pray through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. ―from The Valley of Vision, p.109