(Prov 28:11 NIV) A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.
This morning we continue our “Unlocking the Power of Proverbs – Walking in the Wisdom of God” series. When you read what Solomon is saying, don’t immediately think it is an indictment against having financial stability. Remember, Solomon was the richest man in the world at the time of this writing. It’s like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet saying, “A rich man may be wise in his own eyes.” The fact that the statement is coming from a rich man helps us understand that this is not about having money, but rather about allowing the fact that you have it to trick you into thinking that you are smarter or better than others. In other words, those who have attained financial success are very susceptible to personal pride. If you ever get to the point where you become wise in your own eyes, then those with spiritual discernment (rich or poor) will be able to see right through you and identify the pride and conceit.
Theologian Matthew Henry said, “There is not a greater enemy to the fear of the Lord in the heart, than self-conceit of our own wisdom.” Our (human) wisdom can lead us astray. This is why we must make every effort to acknowledge God in all our ways. I am not saying that human wisdom is useless, but to be sure that our wisdom is solid and secure, our wisdom must be deeply rooted in God’s. Back in chapter three Solomon said, “Do not be wise in your own eyes” (v.7). If you read the first few chapters of Proverbs Solomon does a great deal of teaching on the wisdom of God. One could make the argument that the entire book is about receiving and applying God’s wisdom. So the point is not that we should not develop our own wisdom, because it’s obvious that we should, but we must make every effort to shape, mold, fashion, and base our wisdom on the wisdom of God, which is found in His Word. The more we read, understand, apply, and live out God’s Word, the more our thinking becomes like His. If we continue to develop in the Word long enough, one day we wake up and realize that our decision making process, the way we approach and react to things, and our general manner of living has changed because we have transformed our life and living to line up with the Word of God. When we get to that point we can trust in our wisdom, because our wisdom will not be ours alone. We will be able to ask for whatever we want in prayer (see John 15), because what we want will be what God wants for our lives. Basing our wisdom on Gods – that should be our goal!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Don’t allow personal success (financial or otherwise) to cause you to get over into pride. No matter how successful you are, remain humble before God and man, so that you can enjoy the success for the long haul. If you cross over into pride, allowing yourself to become wise in your own eyes, then it’s only a matter of time before you fall.
2. Human truth has a date/time stamp. You may be absolutely convinced that something is true today, only to find out tomorrow that you were wrong. This has happened to me many times. The bottom-line is that we, as humans, make mistakes. Therefore, our wisdom is never absolute.
2. God’s truth never changes. We live in an ever-changing environment. The only constant is God. When we root our lives – the way we think, feel, and make decisions – in God’s wisdom (found in his Word) we develop a source of strength and stability that enables us to enjoy life as we pursue the accomplishment of our purpose.
Closing Confession: Father, I realize that it is dangerous to be wise in my own eyes. I declare, right now, by faith, that I will not put my whole heart in human wisdom. I am thankful for everything I have learned, and I will continue to learn on a daily basis, but I will always give You and Your Word first place in my life. Your Word is the foundation for my thinking. I want my wisdom to be deeply rooted in Your wisdom, so I can simply live my life from the inside out, knowing that what I believe on the inside has been influenced by You, Your Word, and Your Spirit. Your wisdom enables me to live a solid, stable, and secure life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
