Read through Proverbs in 31 days, Today’s reading is entitled “Understanding Is the Key To Prosperity”
Read Proverbs 19 – Is there something wrong with admitting that you don’t understand something? Well, since understanding is the key to prosperity, we could flip that coin around and say that lack of understanding will ensure failure. Without additional exploration and understanding of our own, both of these statements can be considered true. Here is an absolute truth – nobody can know everything! Because of this, those who seek understanding will admit to that lack of knowledge and ask questions to improve individual wisdom. That approach to life is what is the key to prosperity.
Let’s explore a little deeper.
- People with enthusiasm but lacking in knowledge will ruin their lives with hasty decisions. False witnesses and liars will receive their just punishment.
- Sensible people are in control of their tempers and earn respect by overlooking the wrongs of others.
- Although laziness may allow sound sleep, idleness eventually results only in hunger. Keep the commandments, provide for the poor, and the Lord will repay with everlasting life.
- Always be open to wisdom so that you may make plans within God’s Will – that is the only way for your plans to succeed.
- Fear of the Lord leads to a long life of security, free from harm. Even the simpleminded mocker can learn a lesson, but the wise gain knowledge and experience when corrected.
Today we will follow the repetitive approach used heavily in the Psalms. When people make a hasty decision with little thought or prayer, there could be a dangerous effect for many years to come. Let’s take a look at one hypothetical situation. You are running late for work one morning and approach a light that has just turned red. There has been a long wait at that light for many mornings with nobody in sight while you obediently and legally wait for it to turn green again. This morning you justify that it is okay to run it. Without slowing down your vehicle speeds through the red light. At that exact split second someone appears in front of you after stepping off the curb. Do you believe this describes an enthusiastic but unwise decision?
The logic flows well into the next couple of points as we examine the potential responses to this situation. As you await the ambulance and police, this injured pedestrian is lucid enough to ask “why” before passing out. You have time to consider that question and your response to the authorities. Although you may try to justify that this person “just came out of nowhere and stepped into the road,” sensibility and conscience kick in as a motivator to tell the truth and accept absolute responsibility. Yes, that is the ninth commandment – thou shalt not lie. Keep the commandments and God will repay with everlasting life. How often have you dealt with someone making the same mistake over and over? Would you consider this person to be simple minded? The correction may stick for a few hours or even a few days. But you have come to expect the same mistake and necessary correction in the near future. The good news is that this person can decide to gain and apply wisdom in order to turn from those continual mistakes. That applied wisdom and acceptance of responsibility could very well result in a long life of job security. Yes, we should learn how to apply God’s Wisdom to our personal and spiritual lives in order to be “free from harm.” Does this mean that you can walk some of the dangerous neighborhoods in the dark of night and not be mugged? We certainly have no such guarantee, but hopefully Wisdom will guide in better decision making coupled with the comfort of guaranteed eternal life after this life on earth has ended.
