Desire without knowledge is not good, and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way. – Proverbs 19:2
This little-known proverb gives a good warning that applies to many things in life: e.g. impulse purchases, predatory get-rich-quick schemes, getting married too soon, etc. It’s like someone who’s in such a rush that they miss their exit. God has a way for us to go in; Proverbs 3:6 famously promises that the Lord will make our paths straight when we trust in Him. But when we’re too impulsive to listen and absorb the relevant knowledge, then it’s easy to get into something that we don’t understand, and we suffer for it. This is part of the reason for Proverbs 19:8, which says, “To get wisdom is to love oneself; to keep understanding is to prosper.” Learning by getting the right wisdom is a form of self-care. Likewise, to refuse it is to bring danger upon yourself. Proverbs 19:16, then, gives a warning about heedlessness: “Those who keep the commandment will live; those who are heedless of their ways will die.” Some translations and interpretations apply this to commands that come from God – and it certainly would include those, but it shouldn’t be limited to them. This proverb can apply to any guideline from any legitimate authority. It made me think of my prison training, where the policies and procedures served as a protection for staff: As long as you’re following them, you’re given immunity from inmate lawsuits – because if the state violates the inmates’ rights, that’s on them. But if you go off and do your own thing, then you can be held personally responsible. This is relevant in an age when people are careless about public safety guidelines. Some of us are old enough to remember Sammy Hagar singing “I Can’t Drive 55”. Yes, 55 MPH seems kind of slow, but even now when the speed limit is quite a bit higher, people still pass you like you’re standing still. And then there are car accident fatalities. One of the hardest things I’ve had to do as a minister is officiate funerals for people who died in car wrecks. The contemporary tragedy of COVID, likewise, has been exacerbated because people haven’t been following health guidelines. Some of us don’t like wearing masks because it’s inconvenient. Some people don’t want to get vaccinated because they don’t want to listen to their doctors. And so people suffer in hospitals and many have died needlessly. But Jesus came that we might have life, not death (cf. John 10:10). In John 11:25 He says that He is the resurrection and the life. In John 14:6 He says He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus embodied that life in His incarnation and His resurrection, being the firstborn for all of us. And He doesn’t leave us up a creek without a paddle. He directs us on the path of life. This is something that helps us understand the whole of the Bible. Proverbs 19:20 says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.” The way forward is by listening. We listen to learn the facts, instead of just going forward with quick-driven impulses. If I could give my younger self advice, invariably it would be to listen more and talk less. And notice that it says it’s “for the future.” Future-driven wisdom is counter-cultural in a world that demands quick results and instant gratification. Sometimes this places a burden on preachers; people want to be inspired right away. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that a lot of learning is done reflectively. With God’s wisdom the fruits may not yield immediate results. In fact (if you’re like me) you may push back against the wisdom initially. But we’re not just living for the present. We’re laying foundations for the long haul. Along these lines Proverbs 19:21 says, “The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.” This puts the value of endurance in perspective. I think of all the “plans” that I’ve had through the years. Some of them were good; some weren’t. They came and went. Similarly, lots of businesses have come and gone since 1857 when our church was founded. Lots of things have changed in this world since then. We’ve been through the Civil War, two world wars, the Great Depression, and now all this chaos with the pandemic, inflation, and Russia invading Ukraine. Who knows what will come next? But here we are: still a gathering band of faithful disciples of Jesus, still learning each week from the Word of God, still praying for the sick, still feeding the hungry, still trusting in the Lord to make our paths straight. We don’t know the future, but we can be sure that God’s not done with us yet. God bless you. Andrew McHenry, Pastor First Congregational Church of Oroville
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Andrew McHenryI am a husband, a Congregational pastor, and a native Kansan currently living in Thermalito, California. In the past I have also been a prison chaplain and a youth pastor. Interests include reading, railroads, prog rock, KU, and the KC Royals. Archives
March 2024
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