Proverbs 13:15-16
The news has been filled with stories of
three politicians who should have heeded the advice of these verses. Talk about
exposing your folly! Naked pictures of yourself sent by phone. Dumb, dumb,
dumb, dumb, dumb.
And the sad thing is that our society, or at
least a large chunk of our society, accepts this kind of behavior. They will
probably win their elections and these stories will fade into the background as
the next scandal hits.
It is easy to point our fingers at public
figures like politicians, sports figures, or those in the entertainment industry.
But these two proverbs are written to us for our benefit. We need to remember
this. The LORD wants to speak to us. He wants us to change.
Are we exercising good judgment? Are we
doing what is best even if it isn’t convenient? And are we doing it
consistently? If we are then over time there will be a payoff. We win favor
over time. Our reputation and character begin to speak for themselves.
People who don’t exercise good judgment will
over time get the negative consequences of their actions. Notice that their way
leads to their destruction. This
process isn’t instantaneous. There are often many small steps between the first
turn and their final end. At any point they could have chosen to turn around and
chosen to walk a different path. One choice doesn’t determine the outcome. One
step off the path doesn’t prevent a return. But repeated choices make it more
difficult to return.
Verse sixteen tells us that those who think
about and plan for the future (prudence) act with knowledge. This kind of
future focus of life and actions brings about long range gains. Each decision
needs to be a conscious choice. No autopilot living allowed here.
Live with an eye toward eternity. Make your
decisions thinking how this will affect your eternity. Stop for a few moments
and think! Fools just act.
Often the difference between a fool and
someone who acts wisely is the habit of stopping to think before acting. The
wise person thinks about the consequences before acting. How much stopping do
you do?