“Leave your simple (foolish) ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.” – Proverbs 9:6
This scripture is the essence of why I write this blog (other than to get some writing discipline working for me). In order to live out the Christian life and fulfill the purposes of God for our lives we MUST forsake every foolish way and walk in understanding. In order to forsake every foolish way, we must understand what foolish ways are and what they look like. We can’t look around at our culture and get this information; only in the Word of God can we really understand what foolish ways are and how to forsake them. Many foolish ways detailed here in the book of Proverbs are actually praised and encouraged in our culture. If the culture becomes our standard, we will fall well below the standard that God has set up for us in His word. We’ll “miss the mark” (sin) and fail to achieve the life that God has for us. Things that make sense to carnal people actually rail against biblical wisdom.
For example, there is not ONE scripture that supports debt OF ANY KIND. Yet, in our culture, borrowing money many times is called “wisdom”. Whether it’s for a home mortgage or that new car that we need/want, we are told that it’s ok, go for it. Yet both in the Old and New Testament, ALL debt is considered bondage. Many of the greatest encouragers of debt were folks telling people to borrow “as much as you can” to get “as much house as you can”. I guess that is advice IF the housing market is doing well. But look at the mess people are in today who followed that advice several years ago! Millions are losing their homes because the value of that home has greatly diminished while the value of the debt remained the same.
This kind of “wisdom” works SOME of the time. God’s wisdom works ALL of the time.
Debt is a simple (foolish) way. We (I) need to forsake it and walk in understanding. I now understand that anything I can’t pay for in cash today is something I don’t NEED today. Yes, I may desperately WANT it, but need it? Nope. So you tell me, who is right? Now I’m not pointing fingers, I myself have a mortgage. I am doing everything I can to pay it off as soon as possible, but yes, it’s there. My goal in life is what the Bible calls us to:
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law.” – Romans 13:8
LIFE LESSON:
You can’t forsake a foolish way that you still think is wise.
This scripture is the essence of why I write this blog (other than to get some writing discipline working for me). In order to live out the Christian life and fulfill the purposes of God for our lives we MUST forsake every foolish way and walk in understanding. In order to forsake every foolish way, we must understand what foolish ways are and what they look like. We can’t look around at our culture and get this information; only in the Word of God can we really understand what foolish ways are and how to forsake them. Many foolish ways detailed here in the book of Proverbs are actually praised and encouraged in our culture. If the culture becomes our standard, we will fall well below the standard that God has set up for us in His word. We’ll “miss the mark” (sin) and fail to achieve the life that God has for us. Things that make sense to carnal people actually rail against biblical wisdom.
For example, there is not ONE scripture that supports debt OF ANY KIND. Yet, in our culture, borrowing money many times is called “wisdom”. Whether it’s for a home mortgage or that new car that we need/want, we are told that it’s ok, go for it. Yet both in the Old and New Testament, ALL debt is considered bondage. Many of the greatest encouragers of debt were folks telling people to borrow “as much as you can” to get “as much house as you can”. I guess that is advice IF the housing market is doing well. But look at the mess people are in today who followed that advice several years ago! Millions are losing their homes because the value of that home has greatly diminished while the value of the debt remained the same.
This kind of “wisdom” works SOME of the time. God’s wisdom works ALL of the time.
Debt is a simple (foolish) way. We (I) need to forsake it and walk in understanding. I now understand that anything I can’t pay for in cash today is something I don’t NEED today. Yes, I may desperately WANT it, but need it? Nope. So you tell me, who is right? Now I’m not pointing fingers, I myself have a mortgage. I am doing everything I can to pay it off as soon as possible, but yes, it’s there. My goal in life is what the Bible calls us to:
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law.” – Romans 13:8
LIFE LESSON:
You can’t forsake a foolish way that you still think is wise.
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