Ladies,
Good December morning to you! I hope that wherever you are, the air is crisp, attitudes are cheery, and Christmas cookies are baking! If you haven’t read God’s Word today – switch to your Bible app and check out Psalm 17:8, Proverbs 22:3, Matthew 7:24-29, Hebrews 10:23-25, and Proverbs 27:17. All of these correspond with today’s topic. If you have your own reading plan, continue with that! Either way it’s always better to let God speak to you through his Word first. What I say can have errors but God’s word is perfect!
Do you ever wonder when the day will come that you will relax back in a rocking chair overlooking a scenic ocean or mountain view and gently sigh to yourself, “We finally made it.”?
As missionaries I’m not sure when we start to feel like we have arrived at where we are expected to be. We spend two years on deputation calling ourselves missionaries but everyone knows we haven’t actually done anything yet! We finally arrive to the field only to be treated like toddlers because we can not communicate. It’s much more satisfying to realize that we will know we have “made it” when we finally see our sweet Savior face to face!
The day God lays it on someone’s heart to be a missionary can feel a lifetime away from starting a full term on the field. For my husband and I, learning and training were a key part to preparing for the mission field. There are many benefits of learning under an experienced missionary. It’s a good opportunity to learn from his mistakes, which can help you to avoid repeating those missteps within your own ministry. There are always mistakes to be made first hand but a multitude of wise counselors could save some trouble along the way.
How does Proverbs 22:3 relate to a missionary in training? Let’s look!
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Proverbs 22:3
This verse talks of the prudent man and the simple man. The prudent man sees evil and hides himself from it. Then we see the simple man continue on, and is met with consequences. The prudent man reminds me of new missionaries seeking council on what pitfalls to avoid. However this verse is applicable to anyone in any situation! There are pitfalls we can foretell in our home life, work life, friend circles, and more. Prudence primarily comes from a daily relationship with our Heavenly Father. Though, wise counsel will also greatly aid us in hiding from the evils that could be lying ahead.
How can we know what lies ahead for us? What evils should we be avoiding? I will list a few things that come to mind just from daily reading through proverbs.
- Pride
- Laziness
- Bitterness
- Anger
- Sinful speech
- Adultery
- Disrespecting our husbands
There are an abundance of things the Bible has commanded us to avoid for good reason. We can see these evils and pass on, doing as we please; but there will be consequences. A sly snarky comment against a husband might be a normal occurrence in some households but God greatly condemns this. We can exercise prudence by running and hiding ourselves from these sins.
Most people know their sin struggles. For example, I know that it is a great temptation for me to check social media too much and waste time. I also know this temptation is much harder to fight when I am upset and wanting to forget my problems. This is an opportunity for me to be a prudent woman who hides herself from the evil she knows is lurking. I can put my phone away, set up a plan with my husband, and memorize verses to turn to when I’m in distress rather than seek my phone to numb the pain.
The Bible clearly warns me of laziness so I know wasting time on my phone is an evil to hide from. Sadly, I know from experience that being lazy does bring consequences. God was right in giving us these warnings! There have been too many times that I have been a simple woman. I see the evil and I pass; suffering the punishment. We all at one point or another have committed a sin and found out why God put that warning in place.
Like I mentioned above, another way to foresee sin problems is to seek godly counsel. There are times we have sin that we are blind to! Maybe not even a specific sin but a habit that is leading us in the wrong direction. It’s hard to truly self evaluate sometimes. We can let other Christians sharpen us and push us to good works.
The prudent man and simple man in this proverb remind me of the wise man and foolish man in Matthew 7:24-29.
Both references showcase an important truth. Many times the problems in our life are our own fault. Being referred to as simple or foolish can seem harsh. Yet the Bible uses these words to describe men who were not practicing wisdom. The foolish man was ultimately foolish for not hearing and believing the words of Jesus, which corrupted the very foundation of his life. The simple man is simple because he passed on toward evil he knew was coming. Don’t fall into the habit of blaming sin on circumstances or even on others. There will be times that hardships arise due to our own choices.
I was challenged through this verse to practice prudence and hide myself from evil. Where can I hide from these temptations? Psalm 17:8 paints a beautiful picture. We don’t have to hide alone, scared behind some figurative rusty old shack. We are able to hide under the shadow of God’s wings. God wants us to hide ourselves in him. He is there to protect and care for us. We are not left to fight these battles alone.
If you have found victory over certain sins in your life, please share in the comments how you “hide” yourself from them! What practical things do you do to avoid making those mistakes? I pray whoever is reading this knows that everyone struggles. No one is perfect! I also pray that God would strengthen you in prudence and wisdom!
– Emily Wilkerson
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