Daily Devotional
               Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.   

  The Wisdom of God

Verses for the Day:

Proverbs 17:10-12(KJV):
10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

Proverbs 17:10-12(Amp):
10 A reproof enters deeper into one of understanding than a hundred lashes into a (self-confident) fool.
11 An evil  man seeks only rebellion; therefore a stern and pitiless messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let (the brute ferocity of) a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a (self-confident) fool in his folly (when he is in a rage).

Thoughts for the Day:

This set of verses in Proverbs opens by comparing one distinct quality that sets the wise man apart from a fool. We tend to think of a wise person as one having great brains and the ability to understand difficult and lofty concepts.  While these are true qualities of  wisdom, there is more to wisdom than merely understanding something conceptually.  True wisdom is something that any of us can attain if we are willing to humble ourselves and recognize that wisdom, like all great things of God, begins in lowliness and humility.  This is comforting to me.   I may not be the wisest or smartest person in the world, but I know that if I am willing to humble myself when I am reproved, it will make me wiser.  Therefore it is possible to grow in wisdom.  None of us have to be stuck in our own foolishness.   When we are corrected our natural inclination is to want to defend ourselves.   It takes wisdom from above to hold our tongue and receive correction in a humble spirit.  Words of reproof may come as a "lash" and bring much pain to us, but if we are wise, we will receive it with thanksgiving, for it is an opportunity to be cleansed of sin.

Proverbs 9:8-9: "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."

Proverbs 14:16: "A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident."

On the other hand, just as it is possible to grow in wisdom, it is also possible to grow in foolishness.  This is a sobering and fearful thought!  If humbling ourselves when we are corrected is a characteristic of wisdom, then defending ourselves in pride must be a characteristic of foolishness!  In fact, that is exactly what these verses are stating.  A wise man will receive one reproof and take it to heart, while a fool might be lashed all day long and still never change his ways.  Verse 11 goes on to say that if we are bent on rebellion, a "stern and pitiless messenger" will be set against us.  Why is this?  Hopefully to bring us to our senses and repent and turn back to God.  We see this illustrated in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), who left his home in rebellion.  He left the covering of his father and fell into the hands of the devil who eventually had him living in filth and starvation.  This was a hard way for him to learn.  The prodigal son had to receive many "lashes" from one who had no pity for him--the devil.  Eventually, however, he was able to make the wisest decision of his life--to turn back to the loving arms of his Father. 

Verse 12 says that it is better to meet an angry bear than a foolish man when he is in his folly.  We know that an angry bear has the power to kill us.  Yet, Solomon is saying in this verse that he would rather run into such a bear, than a fool while he is raging!  While a bear might injure or kill our body, the self-confident fool in his raging possesses something even more deadly--the ability to injure and even kill our "inner man"--our soul.  Foolishness and folly breed more of the same.  If we are around a foolish man, we will become foolish as well, unless, we can learn from his ways.  However, once a haughty, prideful spirit grips us it is a very difficult thing to get loose of; in fact, we can only be set free from such a spirit by a miracle of God.  Though we cannot see it right away, we are steering the very course of our existence towards destruction.  It is easier to get free of an angry bear, than a self-confident and foolish spirit that has no fear of God and the consequences of one's actions.  Nothing will blind us quicker to true heavenly wisdom than thinking we are already wise and need no reproof. 

"Self-confidence" in these verses might be translated as "self-righteous."  This is not speaking of the confidence that God wants us to have in Christ, but rather a  rebellious and "devil-may-care" kind of self-confidence that cannot stand to be corrected by anyone--especially someone that is perceived as inferior in some way.  One who is gripped by this kind of foolishness will not even perceive the correction of God through his circumstances, (like the Prodigal Son) but will still persist in rebellion to the very end. 

If we have been prideful of our own great wisdom, if we have been haughty towards those who have tried to correct us, if we have gotten others into trouble through our own foolishness, it is not too late to repent and humble ourselves.  That is why this book of Proverbs was written.  It is a warning to all of us and a guide to make us wiser.  Let us receive the word of God in humility, which is able to save our very soul!

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for your mercy on me when I have made wrong choices in my life, out of my own rebellion.  Thank you for giving me the eyes to see my folly and repent of it and turn back to You. Lord, I ask for the grace to continue to walk in wisdom.  Help me to be humble when I am corrected, and not to think of myself more highly than I ought to.  Let me hear Your words when you speak to me, through whatever means you may use.  Bless all of those who are struggling right now in their lives with things that are difficult.  Strengthen those who are weak today, and give them a song in their heart which will be their strength. Thank you for your forgiveness and mercy!  In Jesus' mighty Name, Amen.