"A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are punished."
(Prov 27:12; Unless otherwise stated: Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Used by permission. All rights reserved)
The prudence in this proverb is a characteristic a person practices in thought and displays through action.
You can identify wise people by how they walk, run, pray, and watch.
Walk
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
We should walk like we see faithful people in the Scriptures walk. “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern” (Phil 3:17).
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:15-16).
Run
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim 6:11). [What was Paul telling Timothy to flee?]
“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Cor 6:18). [How does this relate to Genesis 39?]
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim 4:7-8).
Pray
In an example of prayer, Jesus said, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt 6:13).
Jesus taught a parable, “…that men always ought to pray and not lose heart… ” (Luke 18:1).
First Thessalonians 5:17 says to “… pray without ceasing… .”
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms” (Jas 5:13).
Watch
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:13).
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Cor 16:13).
“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess 5:6). [What was Paul talking about and what can we do about it?]
How Do We Learn these things?
We aren’t born with wisdom. We develop wisdom through diet and exercise.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb 5:12-14).
“But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Tim 4:7, 8).
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Pet 2:1). [Look at what he was talking about at the end of chapter one.]
“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17).
Van
