Proverbs 13
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20
I feel that the verse above can be the theme of today’s Bible reading…
Bible Passage: Proverbs 13
The Wise
It is needless to say that the wisdom books of the Bible are books that tell us why we need to be wise, the advantages of being wise, and how to be wise.
Life is truly very short, so we have to make full use of the limited time we have on earth to live life to the fullest, and to focus on the hope and goal that God has prepared for us.
None of us would want to waste our precious time on things that do not bring any benefit to ourselves, and so if we pursue after wisdom and apply her to our lives, we can be assured of a fulfilling and meaning life that is also pleasing to our God.
Now, the very first step to being wise is written in the first phrase of v20,
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise”
But, if we were to always walk with the wisest Man, what would we be? Yes, we can become wiser than the wise, because He is the Word of God.
And having the Word of God in us is to have light to our path, allowing us to perceive the important and beneficial things in our lives, and to do them.
Just like what is being stated in v25,
The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked suffers want. (ESV)
Righteousness that is borne from wisdom in the Lord is true righteousness, and in applying such righteousness to our lives allows us to be content with what the Lord has blessed us.
But the wicked, who do not keep the Lord’s instructions have become fools, and they can never be satisfied with what they already have but go on to pursue perishable/temporal things that are unbeneficial at all.
The Fools
In contrast, the fools have nothing to gain, but have everything to lose; sometimes foolishness can lead to destruction of not only their physical bodies, but also their spiritual lives.
“but the companion of fools will suffer harm”
I believe no one wants to be called a fool, but often times, we do the very things that allow foolishness to lead us by the nose.
v3 and v10 warn us,
He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.(ESV)
By insolence comes nothing but strife,
but with those who take advice is wisdom. (ESV)
As Elder James had warned us about our tongue, which is a fire, a world of iniquity (James 3:6); so if we do not bridle our tongues, we can cause our own ruin.
And also, the pride in us can often cause us to do things that are foolish. When pride overwhelms us, we think that we are always doing the right things even when others have pointed out our mistakes.
So do not be fools! We have to seriously heed the warnings and instructions of the Lord that can give us wisdom, but we have to be humble and be teachable to apply His wisdom in our lives.
Wisdom comes with meditating on the word of God; therefore we have to be constant and conscious about nurturing ourselves in the Lord.
Be wise! For being wise is of utmost importance in leading a life that is pleasing to the Lord, and again being wise can bring benefits to our physical and spiritual lives.
May God grant us the spirit of diligence in pursuing after His wisdom, so that we can glorify God and bring benefits to man.
Shalom.