June 14

Jun 14 - Today from Proverbs 14 we look at verse 15
"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps."

Life must be processed. In this sin-laden and fallen world we often find ourselves plunged into less than acceptable situations that are not of our own making. All the wishing, lamenting, complaining and finger-pointing do absolutely nothing to get us out and move us on. Life must be processed. We are to be in a constant process of growing in our understanding of life's situations, growing in character as we deal with life's situations, and finding the correct path to take as we progress through life's situations. People who learn to accept the fact that 'life isn't fair' and that it is their responsibility to set a course through the unexpected shifts in life are people who generally posses a good attitude, and who approach life as an adventure. And when these same people learn to trust God and use His principles in finding direction through the shifts of life, they develop prudence.
Let's look at processing life in three steps again:

Growing in our understanding of life's situations. We can only ever truly understand life by seeing it from God's perspective. The Bible teaches that the fall of man has corrupted the entire creation with sin, and that currently Satan is the god of this world (system). Without that understanding, we somehow believe that life should be fair (at least to 'me'). People who carry such a notion are either always complaining and down, or they are always angry and trying to make things right for themselves. They do not process life well at all. By studying God's Word, we begin to understand the reality of the world (system) in which we live.

Growing in character as we deal with life's situations. Once we understand the reality of the world (system) in which we live, we understand why things are so unfair in life. As a follower of the true God, we understand that we can bring a witness of His ways by practicing justice and loving mercy in a system that would otherwise be in a constant state of social inequity and moral chaos. We are to grow in the character of Christ. We are called to be proactive in the face of injustice and social calamity, not reactive. When processing through the lean fields of life, we are to sow the seeds of the Kingdom of God, even when we are standing in the very middle of a barren land. If we don't, the land will remain barren, producing only weeds and thorns for future generations.

Finding the correct path to take as we process through life's situations. The path we are on leads to true life. We are sojourners in this fallen world (system), on our way to the eternal place that God has prepared for us through the shed blood of His own Son. It is a system that is fair and equitable - all the time - forever. It is a world without sin, and a world where the eternal King of Glory reigns forever. We are to constantly keep that in mind, for there is only one TRUE path. It is found in an ongoing relationship with the King of Glory as we process through the situations of this life. He has given us clear principles that are to be discovered and applied from His Word, and he has given us His own Spirit to comfort and to guide.

The simple man may see life as an adventure, but there is no clear goal for him. Whoever has the most adventurous story for the current situation becomes his leader. He goes from one situation to another, never developing character, never making significant contributions of change, and never growing in understanding. One day he will come to the end of whatever path he was wandering down on that particular day and discover that it led to a pit - one from which there is no path of escape. By then it will be too late.
The prudent are on a sure path. Even though the path leads through many unexpected shifts in life, it does bring the prudent into contact with the simple. It gives the prudent opportunities to share the TRUTH with the simple, so that the simple will not have to fall into the eternal pit. The prudent need to remember that someone came down that path and shared the TRUTH with them. That's how they got on the path in the first place.
Wisdom processes life in light of the TRUTH of God's Word, develops the character of Christ in the process, and stays in relationship with Christ as it processes. And, wisdom realizes that there is always room for one more on the path of LIFE.