Proverbs 27.12

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. [Proverbs 27.12]

Today's OYCB reading is full of sayings of wisdom. Many of the anecdotes given in today's reading are just plain common sense like the one noted above.

Foreseeing danger requires something. It requires prudence.

Prudence (a prudent person) is contrasted in this verse today with simplicity (the simpleton).

The difference between a prudent person and a simpleton is easily recognizable. The simpleton suffers consequences.

What are consequences? Consequences are punishments. Punishments are the just reward for disobedience - they are curses according to Deuteronomy 28.

So, it might be said then that a prudent person is obedient, and therefore not cursed, but instead blessed. The simpleton then, suffers consequences for his disobedience.

A wise person will easily discern that blessings are the result of obedience and that curses are the result of disobedience. A person who merely thinks he is wise...

There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise. [Proverbs 26.12]

Well, one who merely thinks he is wise will suffer punishment and fail to recognize it as punishment. Worse yet, that person will follow the wicked advice of his deceptive heart and try to convince himself and others that his curses are just random circumstances. And, even much worse, he will erroneously believe his curses are instead blessings. But, the Bible is clear that...

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. [Proverbs 26.2]

So, back to the prudent person... How does he foresee danger? Simply put, he avoids circumstances that cause him pain and suffering. In other words, he doesn't touch a hot stove because he knows it will hurt! And, if he touches a hot stove once, he will be much less likely to ever touch it again because he knows that pain and suffering are the unavoidable result of doing so! Every time!

It is only a fool who knows the stove is hot and will cause suffering, touches it anyway, and then looks at his burnt hand and says, "This might be a blessing from God!"

However, in the fool's defense, let's assume he had never been burned by the stove before. In such a case, he could not be labeled a fool if he touched the hot stove, right? Right! Unless of course, he read the sign above the stove that said, "Hot stove - do not touch or you will be burned!" and he touched it anyway...

Regardless, the real proof of disobedience is in the associated curse. If the curse is there, then disobedience put it there. The curse doesn't lie. People lie. I mean, who wants to admit that their marred hand was the result of disobedience? Yep, there it is... pride - the calling card of man's fallen condition...

Father, help us all to re-think possible erroneous ideas about suffering. Help us to rightly identify disobedience in our lives by the curses we experience. And, in our rightly identifying disobedience, may You find us repentant.