Bridges on Proverbs 14:8
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 14:8
 
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8.  The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
 
This is not the wisdom of the learned, but of the prudent; not abstract and speculative, but sound and practical. It is self-knowledge and self-control looking upward for Divine guidance. And how much is this wisdom needed to understand our way! The restless professor eagerly follows his own impulse. His constitutional bias interprets Providences, and makes openings for himself. Everything is out of place. He is so “fervent in spirit,” that he becomes “slothful in business.” He conceives himself to be doing good; the more so because it is different from his brethren. He pleads the constraint of zeal as an excuse for indiscretion; as if religion was meant to destroy, and not rather to rectify, his judgment.
But “God hath made everything beautiful in his time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11.) Religion is an orderly thing, as wise as it is warm. Whatever be the excitement to an irregular course, more good is done in steady consistency. To break the ranks in disorder; to “busy ourselves in other men's matters” (1 Peter 4:15. 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 12); to be eager to understand our neighbour's way (John 21:21, 22), obscures the light upon our own. The true wisdom is to understand what belongs to us personally and relatively. (1 Kings 3:6-9. Ecclesiastes 8:5.) “As God hath distributed to every man, so let him walk, and abide with God.” (1 Corinthians 7:17) Let the eye do the work of the eye, and the hand of the hand. If Moses prayed on the Mount, and Joshua fought in the valley (Exodus 17:10, 11), it was not because the one was deficient in courage, or the other in prayer; but because each had his appointed work, and understood his own way. Many steps of our way are different from our neighbour's, and may often be difficult to discern; being rather involved in the principles, than expressed in the detail, of Scripture. But the wisdom of the prudent will “understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17. Colossians 1:9, 10.) “A single eye” and a sound heart will make our way plain. (Matthew 6:22.)
But while the attention of a truly wise man is occupied in understanding his way; ‘the arts of deceit engross the polluted minds of the wicked.’ Their wisdom of deceit is really folly. Gehazi's overreaching wisdom proved folly in the end. Daniel's accusers “were taken in their craftiness.” (Daniel 6:24. 1 Corinthians 3:19.) Ananias and Sapphira vainly endeavoured to hide their covetousness under the cover of liberality. (Acts 5:1-10.) Who can deceive a heart-searching God? The attempt to do so is fearful provocation, certain confusion.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ecclesiastes 3:11
11 ¶ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
 
 
1 Peter 4:15
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
 
2 Thessalonians 3:11, 12
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
 
 
John 21:21, 22
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
 
 
1 Kings 3:6-9
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. {mercy: or, bounty} 7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? {understanding: Heb. hearing}
 
Ecclesiastes 8:5
5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. {shall...: Heb. shall know}
 
 
1 Corinthians 7:17
17 ¶ But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
 
 
Exodus 17:10, 11
10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
 
 
Ephesians 5:17
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
 
Colossians 1:9, 10
9 ¶ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
 
 
Matthew 6:22
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
 
 
Footnote:
French and Skinner's Translation of Proverbs.
 
 
Daniel 6:24
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
 
1 Corinthians 3:19.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
 
 
Acts 5:1-10
1 ¶ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? {to lie to: or, to deceive} 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.