Over the last several weeks, I've been teaching from the book of Proverbs on Wednesday evenings. At first, I didn't want to tackle teaching from the book each week because there are so many thoughts, topics, and even seemingly wild sayings to unpack. But I enjoyed studying the book in such detail, and I'm sad that last Wednesday was the end of the study.
But then I remembered I could still read the book and write about it on my website! So, here's a verse that I want to bring to your attention.
Proverbs 14:7 (CEV)
7 Stay away from fools,
or you won't learn a thing.
There's got to be some freedom in being a fool. Fools don't think too much about their actions or how their actions affect other people. The problem with being friends with fools is that their foolishness seems contagious. If you hang around long enough, you'll end up just like them. You certainly won't learn anything good.
It seems as though we only recognize our foolish behavior in hindsight.
Look at this tidbit of wisdom and see if you identify:
Proverbs 14:12
12 You may think you are
on the right road
and still end up dead.
How often did you think you were doing the right thing only to discover that you had made a massive mistake? If you're like me, it's many times more than I care to admit. Self-deception is real. It's our natural inclination.
We need a new mind and heart if we are going to live differently than the foolish. A new life that can only be found in Christ-the one who reverses the power of death.
Living righteously doesn't mean we rely on our own thoughts or actions; remember those things lead us to death! Wisdom is when we understand we need the righteousness of Christ to cover our unrighteousness.
You see, God is working in us. He is recreating us. When you surrender your life to Christ, you become a new creation from God's perspective. He sees you as perfected because His perfect Son paid the price to take away the sin that had you bound to foolishness.
Christ has the power and authority to set us free!
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
Fools are not going to disappear anytime soon. But fools, people who have not surrendered to Christ, don't need to have influence over us anymore. Our lives are set to a new standard. We can stand tall in grace because of the mighty work of Christ in our hearts.
Our prayer is for wisdom. The wisdom that comes from being directed by the Holy Spirit. He can show us what is in the light and what is in the dark, what is foolish and what is wise.
Allow the Holy Spirit to influence you more than people. Especially foolish people. Remember, if you listen to fools you won't learn a thing, but if you listen to the Holy Spirit will teach you what is most important. He will remind you of the truth.
John 14:26
26 But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you.
It seems to me that the only natural choice we have in life is to trust God more and more each day. He's made the way for us to inherit heaven and live life abundantly here on earth.
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