Proverbs 27:12
A sensible person sees danger and takes cover; the inexperienced keep going and are punished.
I’ve read that prudence is taking the time to weigh out a situation, looking at the possible courses of action and what is likely to come of them, and then making the wise choice.
It’s the old “Stop and think for two seconds” technique.
Just stop and consider what you are doing.
Unless severely brain damaged, we can ALL do this.
“God warns before He wounds.”
May we have eyes to see and ears to hear the warnings that are lovingly placed in front of us for our safety and well being, as well as the grace to make the wise choice.
Proverbs 27:21
A hot furnace tests silver and gold, and people are tested by the praise they receive.
Response to praise reveals who a person really is. Do you get the big ego and then go lazy? Or do you thank God and continue working even harder to serve others after receiving affirmation?
How do you respond to praise? In your heart?
Are people drawn more to us or to God?
Who do you want people to be drawn to?
John 18:28
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
These dudes were trying to get the Son of God killed, yet were worried about being ceremonially unclean because they really wanted to eat the Passover meal.
Seriously?
Wait. Do we ever do this?
Do we deny someone in need because it may make us late to the Sunday gathering?
Do we avoid spending time with a brother or sister because we have meetings or we need our “Me time”?
And let’s be honest, “Me time” usually consists of watching TV or some equivalently no-treasure-in-heaven-non-joy-building-time-waster or NTIHNJBTW’s as I like to call them.
John 18:37
“The whole reason I was born and the whole reason I came into the world is this: to bear witness to the Truth. Every single individual who is rooted in the Truth is listening to my voice.” Jesus the Messiah
Don’t you just love it when we come across a rather unambiguous pericope such as this?
Straightforward.
What are you gonna do with this?
That Jesus believes (as he now says) that “my voice” is the vehicle of world Truth is wonderfully centering for believers who have made Jesus Lord. Truth-seeking disciples will listen to this singular voice as avidly as children listen to stories. In the voice of Jesus, disciples are convinced, they have the most truth-filled words ever given. Disciples who love science, which is the search for truth, will give themselves, therefore, to mining the meaning of Jesus’ Words.
-Frederick Dale Bruner