I love the book of Proverbs. In some places there are streams of wisdom, and in some places there are just a list of these “pearls of wisdom” that are standalone bits of truth that are relevant to us.
I came across one today, that I know well. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” The implication here, is that we all have a ‘sense’ of what we believe to be right or good. BUT, if we don’t check that against what God tells us to be right and good, our ‘sense’ is not always 100% reliable. In fact, we’re lucky if we can rely on it 50% of the time.
Why? In a world that is constantly screaming “I know what’s best for me!” or “God wants me to be happy!” or “It’s my body!” or “If it isn’t hurting someone else, I should be free to do whatever I want!” why are we so often mistaken? Our ‘wanter’ doesn’t always measure up to scripture, and there’s a very simple reason why.
We have an enemy. Sometimes we feel like the words he whispers in our ears will bring us what’s “best” or “happiness” or “fulfillment” but they don’t. At least, not in any lasting sense. They can’t…because those whispers are lies. The God who MADE us knows what brings joy and fulfillment, because HE created our inmost being. Our enemy is the “father of lies” and has been using the same lies all the way back to Adam…because they work. Because we fall for it, over and over again.
Dear Heavenly Father, please give us the discernment to see and to know when we are being lied to. Please give us the clarity to see how the choices we make every day reflect who or what we are putting our hope it. We desire to put our hope in you, but we are so often weak. Give us strength for today, to place our belief and our hope in You. A-men.