Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Wisdom from Proverbs”
Our Bible verse for today: “A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, but the fool bears himself insolently and is (presumptuously) confident.” Proverbs 14:16 (Amplified Bible)
Our thought for today: “Don’t be an overconfident fool.”
As we continue to work our way sequentially through the Proverbs of Solomon, we come to a statement about an overconfident fool which is startling in its abruptness and directness. Solomon intentionally wrote it that way in order to be sure to get our attention. In the Amplified Bible it says that “… the fool bears himself insolently and is presumptuously confident”. The New Living Translation (NLT) renders the verse this way, “… fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.”
A common characteristic of a fool (those who are biblically foolish) is that he or she is overconfident that they can toy with what is evil or sinful without being entrapped by it or without suffering harmful consequences. They always think “I can handle it”, or “That won’t happen to me.” A fool’s famous last words (just prior to a trip to the Emergency Room) are, “Here, hold my beer and watch this …”
The young man experimenting with marijuana boldly declares that it’s no different or worse than alcohol, foolishly assuming his drug use will never lead him to pills or heroin. And yet, it often does exactly that. A promiscuous young woman thinks she can fool around with casual sex without suffering bad consequences, and is then devastated when she ends up with an STD, or an unwanted pregnancy, or a soiled reputation. Parents use profanity in the home and are then shocked when they hear those same words coming out of the mouth of their six year old.
The fool always thinks he or she can play with fire without getting burned. But sooner or later fire always burns, and sin always does its damage.
This is why Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 26:41 “Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” It’s also why the Apostle Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 10:12 “So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.”
Christians cannot afford to be casual about sinful practices. When it comes to right or wrong, good or evil, proper or improper, we must stay firmly on the side of holiness. We cannot tip-toe along the line, straddle the line, or momentarily step over the line. As Billy Graham taught, “We must avoid even the appearance of impropriety.”
The lesson of Proverbs 14:16 is that any Christian who thinks he or she can toy with sin and get away with it is a fool. And the obvious message is “Don’t be that guy (or girl)!”
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 