CC Image courtesy of Ed Schipul on Flickr.

Proverbs 20
Author: Daniel Wheeler

One of the early instructions we hear in Proverbs is to keep or protect sound judgment and discretion. There are many things that endanger our sound judgment and discretion and will lead us astray. Some are obvious and some are not.

Proverbs 20 touches on a few of the things we encounter that can deceive us and entice us to act like fools. Alcohol is one of the obvious. We don’t have to look very far to find examples of people who have allowed alcohol to rob them of their sound judgment and have suffered terribly as a result.

Likewise, we can be deceived by others who wish to rob us – for example, dishonest buyers and dishonest sellers. We must be aware of circumstances where people may not be telling us the truth.

Perhaps the most deceptive thing we encounter is our own hearts. Knowing our own hearts and our own motives – seeing our own pride – hearing our own lies – this wisdom and insight can only come from God. Only God can reveal the heart.

Perhaps the most deceptive thing we encounter is our own hearts. [Tweet This]

 
So, how does God reveal this wisdom? Ironically, it may come in the sincere rebuke of a wise person who wounds us with God’s truth.

May we have the humility to reject deception and accept instruction.