The Bible is made up of various books written by various characters coming from various backgrounds. What I love about the collection of books, however, is how often you come across straight talk.
Take for instance the first 11 verses of Proverbs 26. If being a fool was in anyway attractive to you, or you felt being the fool was in some way cool (just to rhyme it), those eleven verses should soon put you off that pursuit. The compilers of Solomon’s work put together a greatest hits package of reasons why fools and being foolish is to be deterred in the strongest possible terms. It truly is not cool being a fool. (If I can rhyme it once, I can rhyme it twice – I am poet and I don’t even know it, neither do I show it,, though I like to flow with it.)
After that demolition work on fools, there comes this remarkable verse.
Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. (Proverbs 26:12)
The fool gets a rough deal alright, but even he has got more of a chance that the self-regarding, self-centred, self-satisfied, self-content type who is alright in their own sight. (Another rhyme for free right there from me.)
The heart of wise living has been to take away focus from self. Take away the navel-gazing. Stop considering the world to revolve around self, and begin to realise the bigger picture. In doing so realise our place in that bigger picture in comparison to the Creator of the universe.
This is why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Just a glimpse of eternal perspectives allows us to realise how majestic and awesome He is and in comparison how rather insignificant we are in the larger scheme of things. After all we don’t keep the world turning, we don’t let the Sun shine, the seas to roll in and out, the seasons to come and go. We don’t construct nature’s epic works. We don’t concoct the splendour of the ecosystem.
Sure we play a big part in ruining it, but we don’t create it and it is not sustained primarily by our efforts.
Taking moments to recognise this gives pause for thought. With that pause and acknowledgement of the One far greater than I, then we can understand that life is not to be lived by what is right in my own sight. That is short-sighted to the point of abject blindness.
Consulting the one who by wisdom set all there is in place, gives us a much better chance of navigating the challenges life throws at us. It gives us a better chance, because not only are we consulting Him, we are doing so in awe, amazement and wonder that one so high and holy should choose to commune with us His creation. That He should do so is an honour that goes far beyond any other.
That way we can see that what might appear reasonable and fair in man’s eyes missing the mark of the Creator significantly and were we but to seek Him and His ways things would turn out all the more beautifully, bountifully, productively and peacefully.
In His wisdom, He has passed on that same wisdom for man to tap into. We are blessed nby those from the generations before who walked in the way. We can take note and learn. We can leave our own notes on the trail when others follow us.
We do all that when we first consider in whose eyes will I look at life? Will I look at it from my own cynical, sceptical and world-weary views, or shall I be refreshed and energised by the Spirit of Life that sees every challenge as an opportunity to show just how good God is.
Will I look with my eyes and be content with the mediocrity around me? Or shall I look through God’s eyes at the beauty of creation and the wonders of Kingdom life that can be spread through every part of life?
It’s one thing being a fool, it’s even worse to miss out in incredible opportunities to be blessed because of being so self-absorbed. Today is another chance to acknowledge that wisdom, that source of hope, peace, mercy and grace. Today is another chance to reject seeing things just from my eyes.
I’d be foolish to choose any other way.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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