“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.” Proverbs 14:16
September 21, 2023
Wisdom tells us that it is better to look before you leap. An example of this is Peter, Jesus’ disciple. He made a decision to deny Christ. His self-confidence betrayed him, to his shame. Evil comes in many disguises. As someone has said, “to do its worst, evil needs to look its best.” Satan masquerades “as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). Sexual lust is disguised to look like love. Hollywood is masterful in making adultery appear as caring, satisfying intimacy, and something beautiful. Greed masks itself as seeking a secure future for the family. Envy hides behind righteous indignation. The fool refuses to use the seatbelt of truth. Spends his money on drugs, smokes pot, gets fired from her job, and blames it all on her employer. He watches one ball game after another while his son joins a gang looking for a father. The fool drinks his six pack, gets stopped for a DUI, loses his driver’s license, and has to have his wife drive him to work. The wise observe the road signs of life. The wise are those who look at life through the lens of God’s revealed truth. They know what sin is. One of the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards was “Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself; also to inquire so at the end of every week, month, and year.”
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“The wise watch their steps and avoid evil; fools are headstrong and reckless.” The Message