Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Psalm 49 and Proverbs 13

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” (Proverbs 13:20)

This very simple piece of Spirit-inspired advice to a young man, if followed, can make the difference betwen life and death. Far too many people, both young and old, have had their lives ruined by the foolish influence of badly chosen acquaintances, business partners, counsellors or friends. When we choose to associate ourselves with wise people, and to observe carefully the way they live, communicate, make decisions and treat others, we will grow in wisdom ourselves. And don’t forget that verse 14 says, “The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain.” Allowing ourselves to be influenced and formed by the wisdom of others’ lives will lead us to life.

By contrast, verse 20 continues, “associate with fools and get in trouble”. John Knox translated this verse to English from the Latin Vulgate as: Fool he ends that fool befriends. Walking in wisdom on the Jesus-following Way is like walking on a tightrope. It is far easier to pull somebody off a tightrope than for the one on the tightrope to pull someone up to join them there. If we choose to connect our lives with the foolish, it is highly likely that we will end up influenced by their foolishness. And remember that foolishness leads to death in the end.

If you do not already have at least one person in your life who is wiser than you, from whom you are deliberately seeking to learn the ways of wisdom, today is the day to identify who they may be. Then make the effort to build a meaningful connection/relationship with them through which you can study their wisdom and grow into it yourself. Learn from them and grow in wisdom. It might save your life.

God of Wisdom, please bring wise people into my life, help me to see them, help me to build relationships with them, and help me to grow in wisdom through walking out my life with them. Amen.