Read through Proverbs in 31 days, Today’s reading is entitled “Good Judgment”
Read Proverbs 9 – It’s time for a bit of introspection – how many times in life have you failed to exercise good judgment? Five, ten, maybe 7×70? Since we are being honest with ourselves (and God already knows the answer anyway), I would have to say that mine is much closer to the last of those three answers. I have made job decisions, life decisions and maybe even church deacon decisions without consulting God. We have been given excellent news in today’s scripture reading – correcting the wise results in great gain. Have you accepted self-correction, correction from a counselor, maybe even correction which seems to have come from God Himself? If so, put these things behind you and move forward with the great gain received from that correction.
What are our five “pondering points” for today?
- Wisdom has built a house with seven columns – the number of completeness, perfection. Wisdom has prepared a “great banquet.”
- Don’t waste your correction on the wicked mockers since they will hate you for it. Correcting the wise and righteous results in great gain for them.
- Folly is brash and ignorant, and those who choose this path do not realize the destination of such a decision.
- Folly will lure you with statements such as “stolen water is refreshing” and “food eaten in secret tastes the best.” If only those who yield their attention would understand that they are being lured into death and the grave.
- Wisdom invites all to leave their simple ways behind, begin to live and use good judgment.
Look around at those who you would consider to be successful, is there a common trait among them? Could that be hard work, commitment to the company, placing God and prayer before all other things? It is absolutely true that everyone can decide what things are most important in life. Proverbs 9 tells us repeatedly that Wisdom is to be at the top of the list because it has built a “house of completion” and prepares a great banquet for all who will come. Forever seeking wisdom will help to build your life on an unshakeable foundation of Godly choices.
How many times have you shared your faith in God and received a welcome and acceptance? Is that the usual response? We are told in Mark 16:15 to spread the Gospel to the entire world, yet we also read that we should not waste correction on wicked mockers. Could this be God’s Word contradicting itself? Certainly not, Jesus said “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Yes, wicked mockers are sinners too, and we should carry God’s Word to them at every opportunity. We can justify the second point above with the fact that we are not to stick around and argue God’s grace with those who mock His Word. These would be the people who have chosen the brash and ignorant path of folly. The flock who have chosen to follow the Wisdom of God’s Word will accept the invitation to leave the simple, worldly ways behind. Those who are committed to continual spiritual growth will readily admit that all things are a product of God’s presence in their lives. Take a moment to read 1Corinthians 10:13. In this scripture we are encouraged that God will not allow more to come upon us than we can withstand. Who is the word “we” referring to? Husband and wife, believers of the world, maybe each individual believer and Christ Himself. Since Christ is the only One with power over the evils of this world, it certainly makes sense for that to be the reference. We who are in God’s flock will be in this world until He is through with us, surviving every flu, flood and shooting that this evil world can produce. When our time here on earth is through, we can be ready to go.
