PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Proverbs 25-26
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” (Proverbs 26:4-5)
So what is the right answer, should we answer a fool according to their folly?
These verses show how being wise is different from being right.
The answer can be both, and it takes wisdom to know which way to respond.
Too often we focus ourselves on being right, but are we always wise?
The bible is a book with amazing truth, but we still need wisdom to apply it.
There are times when it is wise to speak, and times when it is best to be silent.
God does not spell out every right response for every situation we face.
Saying what we feel in the moment is not wise, we need to think it through.
The wise response will often feel hard, contrary to our natural gut response.
Which is why we need to process what we say and do carefully, and prayerfully.
All our words and actions have consequences, and wisdom thinks them through.
Jesus will talk things through with us, to help us discern what is best.
The wisest thing we can do is pause and pray before we speak!
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be wise in the challenges and opportunities I face. Help me to include you in discerning the wisest response.
So many sayings – thankfully I’m not dependent on my ability to remember them all. I like this one: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” It is the way of love that Jesus teaches. Lord Jesus through you spirit lead me to wisdom – to wise thoughts, decisions, behaviors. Guide me in the right paths that I may avoid many of the pitfalls from my own foolishness, greed, arrogance – that I might follow more nearly more closely every day – your way. Lord I pray that you will discipline me when I become wise in my own eyes – which is foolishness!
Words.
Actions.
These show who we really are.
Discernment.
Integrity.
Stop. Listen to the Spirit.
Self-control.
Living for Jesus requires me to walk in His ‘SonShine’ – His Way and not my own.
All for Jesus. Living for Jesus.
All of my life, I will praise the living God,
My heart full of joy,
I will bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
And never forget his gifts.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
He pardons all our sins.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
He saves us from all harm.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
He fills our life with good.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
He keeps us ever young.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
His mercy never ends.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
His kindness never ends.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
His promises he keeps.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
He died to bring us life.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
He is the Bread of Life.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
In him we find all love.