Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- September 24, 2010
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12
Good intentions need to be governed by God’s wisdom or they lead down a wrong path. My sincerity does not make up for wrong assumptions or foolish choices. For example, I can talk myself into trusting someone who has questionable character, because of their potential to bring in business. But, if I get rushed and hire the wrong person, it sets back the organization and threatens the morale of the team. Wisdom first clarifies God’s choice.
Good intentions happen in marriage when a husband or wife thinks they are helping their partner, but in reality they are hurting them. A surprise of a large purchase by one spouse that was not in the budget can become a nightmare of worry over its financial liability. Well-meaning intentions, but that are irresponsible, do damage to those who were meant to be helped.
What decisions are you facing? A move? A purchase? A gift? Have you vetted your decision making process with wise counsel? Ignorance and naiveté are not protected from producing wrong results. If you rush into a relationship or a deal without taking time to test your assumptions it may very well lead to regret and a waste of time and money.
“The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15).
However, you can find the right way, by first following the way of Jesus Christ. He said, “I am the way” (John 14:6). With the ways of Jesus as our beginning point, our self-delusion is replaced by His divine revelation. And we read, “He who walks with the wise become wise” (Proverbs 13:20a), and then we submit to wise advisors. Wisdom puts us on the path of constructing Christ’s will, thus moving toward a productive outcome.
Above all else, test your good intentions about God. You may think He is all loving, without standards for living, or you may assume He is all judge without love. Either extreme causes you to miss the real thing. Yes, the Lord requires a personal relationship through His son Jesus to exit hell and to enter heaven. And the beauty of knowing God is the ability to follow God. The path of death is paved with good and bad intentions, but the path of life is paved with wise ones. So seek not what seems right, but what is right.
“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow” (Isaiah 1:17).
Am I objective and teachable in my pursuit of truth and the best path to follow?
Related Readings: Isaiah 45:19; 58:2; Zephaniah 2:3; Hebrews 12:11; 1 Corinthians 7:35
Boyd Bailey is the author of Wisdom Hunters daily devotional and two devotional books, Infusion and Seeking Daily the Heart of God
