Proverbs 22:3 – A prudent man foresees the
evil and hides himself, the simple pass on and are punished.
Prudence is an old word that has gone out of
vogue in modern times, however, it contains powerful shades of meaning and is
worth a close look. The word has to do with having forethought and being able
to see far ahead. And, not surprisingly, that is exactly how it is used here.
The prudent man is a wise man who is always looking ahead. Knowledge deals with
what has happened and can only analyze and assess past and current
circumstances. Wisdom, however, deals with what is going to happen. What is
coming? What will this year bring? What precautions should we be taking? What
preparations are needed? Wisdom foresees.
Prudent people do not blunder ahead rashly, but instead, they
cautiously consider all factors before moving forward. Foolish and naïve people
never dream of something bad happening to them, they live like the world is a
playground, created only for their enjoyment and ease. Sensible ones, on the
other hand, know that the world is actually more of a battleground, with dangers
on every side and evil people lurking around every corner desiring to steal
goods or harm others. Wisdom foresees and prepares. The financially wise
prepare for an inevitable economic slowdown, but the financially foolish think
it is always going to boom. A wise person prepares for the changes that come as
one ages, the fool thinks he will be thirty years old forever.
The prudent one is a humble one who knows his limitations and has a
sensible view of his frailty and weakness, thus he hides himself. He doesn’t
hide himself out of fear, or cowardice, but he hides himself out of a proper
assessment of life and his own mortality. He hides himself for the benefit of
all those around him. Wisdom knows when to hide and has the humility to do it,
even though others may foolishly misunderstand and misinterpret his caution.
Foolishness is always living in the moment and not having eyes to see
what may be coming down the pike, so to speak. It is important to realize that
when the Bible uses the term simple, it is not a compliment. To be simple is to
be naïve and unrealistic about how life works, and it is connected to
immaturity and childishness. Keeping things simple is good but, being a
simpleton is not. Silliness, thoughtlessness and irresponsibility are all close
siblings that linger and loiter together, indeed, they are a chip off the old
block, and their father is pride.
A proud and arrogant fool is one who mocks and
ridicules the ideas of safety and taking cover under wise principles and practices.
‘I don’t need to save money. I don’t need to curb my spending. I don’t need a
life-jacket. I don’t need a seat belt. I don’t need to take precautions.’ And
on and on these fools blindly rant, until the bankruptcy courts and the local
cemeteries fill up.
God is offering us His wisdom. He is warning
us to not delay, because now is the time to be ready for what lies ahead. We
must forsee what is coming so we can plan accordingly. Do not procrastinate. Do
not hesitate. Do not be fearful, but be wise; be prudent, and begin now to hide
yourself in the protective principles of wisdom.
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