Old Testament: Jeremiah 25-26
Poetry: Proverbs 16
New Testament: 2 Peter 3
Over the next few days, I’d like the reader to notice how much wisdom is condensed in each of Solomon’s pithy proverbs and how they can help us live better. Sound good? When looking at the Proverbs (or any Old Testament passage), we must always remember that, though these passages were written before Jesus was born, it is both appropriate and beneficial to interpret and apply the passages to our lives in light of the revelation of God’s son. Each time you read a passage in Proverbs, consider taking a deeper dive into just one verse to see how the reflections of someone a few thousand years removed from our modern context can still have relevance to our plight in this broken world.
The proverb I want to consider and meditate on today is Proverbs 16:22, which in the English Standard Version goes like this:
“Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.”
I’m not sure if good sense has ever really been common or if “common sense” is what Solomon would consider good. From my perspective (maybe I’m just getting old and crotchety at 29), there isn’t much good sense flowing freely in our society–just turn on the TV or scroll down your social media feed. There is some, however, and where it is found, it is like a fountain flowing within an oasis in a barren, desert land.
I’ve heard (though I can’t remember where) that most people who get behind the wheel of a car (the number I heard was above 90%) in both this country (USA) and in the land of our cousins across the pond (GB) believe themselves to be above-average drivers. If you consider this for a moment, you will realize how absurd this is. I think most people (I would guess north of 90%) have at least a small blind spot in their relationship to reality. I know I have at times overestimated my ability to maneuver a motor vehicle at high speeds (no accidents, yet…not a high speed, anyway).
This inability to see ourselves in relation to the world clearly could be called folly, while the ability to do so can be deemed wisdom. The wise person, who has good sense, will receive instruction, discipline, and correction as a means of growth. The foolish person, who has a lack of sense, will see things such as teaching, reproof, and direction as an unnecessary waste of time, something only for those who “need” it. Because of this, the wise will continue to flourish like a tree soaking in the life it receives from water and nutrients, while the folly of the fool will ensure the continued degradation of their weakly rooted weed–that is, their inner life.
This proverb takes on a new meaning in light of the Good news. Jesus gives living water and refreshes and restores those who have the good sense to recognize their need for him. Despite our lack of self-awareness, if we turn our attention to Jesus–that is, if we are aware of our need for his help, mercy, and kindness, we can drink from the fountain of life in a new sense (in the best sense). To see Jesus and not recognize our need for him as Savior is the highest form of folly. Exercise good sense and drink the water that satisfies like nothing else.
-Joel Fletcher
Reflection Questions
- On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your own “good sense”? How do you think those who know you well would rate you? Are there any specific areas where you might benefit from a more accurate view of yourself and reality?
- Do you recognize your need for Jesus to be your Savior? If so, how would you explain it to someone who didn’t?
Seek Grow Love 