Proverbs – Life Skills
What?! There is a sin in assuming? Yes. When I assume what people are thinking, I am in judgement about thoughts only God knows. When I assume why people behave the way they do, I am judging their actions in light of what I think I know. I learned as a first grade teacher not to ask why of a child who did something wrong. When a child is young, they don’t reason or think too deeply about the why, they simply react or do life on their terms without thinking about the consequences. They have to be taught what is okay and what is not. As teachers, we have to arouse them from a daze and help them realize what they are doing.
Sometimes as adults we still need to mature in this area. Just because we are of a certain age does not mean that we have learned all that is right, appropriate and good behavior based solely on experiences we have had.
What if you grew up with bad experiences, no direction or Biblical training and was conditioned only to fight back, to look out for number one, to take no criticism from anyone, to assume the worst in people, and to survive at all costs? What if you knew nothing about the consideration of others, putting their needs above your own? (Phil 2) What if you knew nothing about grace? What if you assumed that life exists for the taking.
What if we assume we know all there is to know about life?
Our Proverbial wisdom for today sets us straight on our assumptions. Our assumptions cannot be trusted. We need to trust God. We cease to learn when we think we know it all.
Proverbs 3, The Message
Don’t Assume You Know It All3 1-2 Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you;
take to heart my commands.
They’ll help you live a long, long time,
a long life lived full and well.
3-4 Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Earn a reputation for living well
in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.
5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
a father’s delight is behind all this.
The Very Tree of Life13-18 You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom,
when you make friends with Madame Insight.
She’s worth far more than money in the bank;
her friendship is better than a big salary.
Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth;
nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.
With one hand she gives long life,
with the other she confers recognition.
Her manner is beautiful,
her life wonderfully complete.
She’s the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her.
Hold her tight—and be blessed!
19-20 With Lady Wisdom, God formed Earth;
with Madame Insight, he raised Heaven.
They knew when to signal rivers and springs to the surface,
and dew to descend from the night skies.
Never Walk Away21-26 Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
don’t for a minute lose sight of them.
They’ll keep your soul alive and well,
they’ll keep you fit and attractive.
You’ll travel safely,
you’ll neither tire nor trip.
You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry,
you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep.
No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,
Because God will be right there with you;
he’ll keep you safe and sound.
27-29 Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
your hand is God’s hand for that person.
Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time”
or “Try me tomorrow”
when the money’s right there in your pocket.
Don’t figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor
when he’s sitting there trusting and unsuspecting.
30-32 Don’t walk around with a chip on your shoulder, always spoiling for a fight.
Don’t try to be like those who shoulder their way through life.
Why be a bully?
“Why not?” you say. Because God can’t stand twisted souls.
It’s the straightforward who get his respect.
33-35 God’s curse blights the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder,
but if you’re down on your luck, he’s right there to help.
Wise living gets rewarded with honor;
stupid living gets the booby prize.
WHAT WE LEARN…The more we learn about God and Life, the more we know we need to learn. We do not and will never know it all.
Bullies, traitors, betrayers, and other unloving unkind people think they know it all. Hurt and fear drives them.
NEVER walk away from God’s wisdom, His skills for living well. Life has consequences.
Don’t assume. ALWAYS trust God.
HOLY PAUSEWhy do we assume? What do we assume, otherwise known as sizing people up on a first impression without really knowing them?
How deep is our trust in God for all of life? Do we only run to Him after our efforts have failed? Why?
Do we think we know it all? How much do we know? What or Who drives our thoughts and actions or reactions?
Our behavior is a direct correlation to what we believe in our hearts, minds and souls.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your wisdom. Thank you for waking us up from our own stupors of unthinking behaviors. I repent of the sin of assuming. Thank you for showing us the reward of living life well, guided and directed by you. Thank you for not requiring us to know it all. What a huge relief! Continue to teach us what we need to learn until we see you face to face. I trust You.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 