the difference between a bad end and a good end

Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

but a fool flaunts his folly.

Proverbs 13:16

This is a call to stay the course and a warning to avoid self-navigation. What do I mean by “stay the course”? I mean to say that I will always need the constant, steady wisdom of God’s Word to direct my thinking. I need God’s Word to speak into my life. And I have such constant access to it that I am really the one who will be at fault if that doesn’t happen. It is a glorious thing to open my Bible, and no matter where I read, to instantly have God’s truth speak to me. I can find it everywhere I go. Technology gives me instant access to eternal truth. Scripture memory has put God’s truth in my mind and there are times where the Holy Spirit brings scriptural knowledge immediately to me, flashing like a dashboard warning light, or confirming a course of action that feels like God putting His reassuring arm over my shoulder.

It is what this proverb warns against that gets my attention most powerfully though. If I run past the warning light or swat down a scriptural insight in favor of my own desire, I am left with a personal intention heavily corrupted by my own selfishness and sin. And I must believe that what God says here is true of me in my uninformed state of mind: I will flaunt folly like a fool when I am left to myself! I don’t want “fool” engraved on my tombstone.

Lord,

I thank You for the wisdom of Your Word. And I pray that it might always be the first input of every day I have left to serve You this earth. May Your knowledge keep me humbly trusting You. Jesus, You have saved me from the foolish path of faithlessness and sinful pride. Keep me tenderly leaning on that grace, humbly aware of Your truth so that Your wisdom will lead me on until You lead me home.

Amen