Can You See It Coming?
Today's Verse:
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. ~Proverbs 22:3
Proverbs 22 is filled with many nuggets of wisdom for every aspect of life. One of these valuable nuggets is found in our devotional verse. Our devotion this morning centers itself on the necessity of foresight. Foresight is the discipline of looking and planning ahead. It is realizing that good and proper planning for the future is for our benefit. Within the context of the verses in Proverbs 22:1-6, let us see the importance of foresight. Can you see it coming?
We should have foresight for our honor.
In v. 1 we read, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” This verse gives us a principle for the building of our reputation and character. It stresses the importance of building a good name and goodwill with our family and circle of people in our life. We are to make this a higher priority than acquiring wealth and money. It means that to be a man of integrity, I need to be careful with my priorities, my associations, and my reaction to adversity. Our reputation is what people think about us. Our character is what people know about us. We can plan ahead for our reputation by looking 20 years from now and doing those things that are wholesome to Christian character. Be known as someone who lives for Jesus! Be known as someone who is known for praying, being faithful to church, and honest in all your dealings. When we have long-term vision for a good name, we realize that one bad decision, one sin, or one bad attitude can have a very bad long-term impact on our reputation. Plan ahead to finish your life with a good name. Someone wisely said, “I would rather have people grieve more over my death than over a failed life.”
We should have foresight for our heirs.
In v. 6 we read, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Where and how our children wind up in their adult lives depends on where and how we steer them. A good vision for our children involves their training. Training is the ongoing and repetitious correction, discipline, and training that we give them. It is our responsibility to train them in the way in which they should go, and not a school or internet program. Training includes hard work, responsibility, memorization, following a schedule, good hygiene, exercise, respect, manners, and serving the Lord. If we want them to be solid Christians, we must be thorough in teaching them the Word of God and learning to pray. If we want them to succeed in work, they must learn the advantage of hard work. If you want to turn out an honorable child, you must train him up. If you do not train him up, he will develop into a foolish and disrespectful person.
We should have foresight for our happiness.
In v. 4 we read, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Riches, honor and life are the pinnacle of life. They are the achievement of a high life. They are the result of the right approach to God and people. We are instructed to live in humility and the fear of the Lord. It is instruction telling us to avoid being proud, conceited and arrogant. Humility is when we lower ourselves in front of other people. It is when we do not ask for recognition, but are content to take the back seat. The fear of the Lord is the right acknowledgement of God’s presence and power in our life. Riches, honor, and life are the result of having God in first place and always doing right with people. Think and plan ahead for riches, honor, and life.
“A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Having foresight is to plan ahead. It is making preparation against the possibility of disaster, broken relationships, career failure, financial failure, and eternal failure. Make sure that you are saved. Getting saved keeps you from the day of judgement and spending eternity in Hell. Getting saved keeps you from the evil day.
Have a prudent God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Exodus 28-29