Introductory Thoughts
The Bible links together wisdom, knowledge, and discretion to help the Bible student comprehend God’s truths. Today’s passage provides insight into the composition of this connection. When wisdom enters the heart and knowledge is pleasant to the soul, then discretion preserves the believer. Preserve can mean to protect from harm as the context of this passage shows. Those who use discretion are protected from being ensnared by those who have little regard for God or the things of God. Verse 12 indicates that discretion protects the individual from the way of evil men. Verse 16 further reveals how discretion delivers from the strange woman. Discretion implements wisdom and knowledge to keep the believer from unnecessary difficulties that trouble those who fail to abide by biblical principles.
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): Thinking through things before doing them will help to keep you from trouble and harm. If you decide to pick a fight with someone, or run into a busy street, what could happen to you? Ask God to help you think before you act.
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(For everyone): Do you frequently find yourself in trouble? Does each day seem to bring a new set of problems into your life? Do you all too frequently find yourself in dangerous situations? If these scenarios describe your life, you are most likely lacking in the area of discretion. Why not seek the Lord for wisdom and knowledge and implement them into your life?
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Do you find that you repeatedly commit the same sins? Sin does not happen by accident. It is a deliberate act. Fortunately, in every temptation, God provides a way of escape. When we sin, we refuse to use discretion.
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask God to preserve you from sin.
- Ask God to show you when you make a wrong choice before it is too late to take corrective actions.
Song
BE THOU MY VISION
