Bible Reading: Proverbs 13:16
Decisions, decisions. Every day we are faced with dozens of decisions. Some as simple as choosing between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Other are more difficult,
such as choosing college classes, a career, or whether or not to get married.
Proverbs 13:16 says, “Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but
fool exposes his folly.” How can we be prudent and make decisions based on knowledge? How can we avoid being a fool and making foolish choices?
The short answer is: The Bible.
How can a 3,000 year old book help you decide who to date or whether or not to drink, smoke, or do drugs?
The Bible doesn’t come right out and say, “Ethel, don’t date Fred,” or “Stanley, don’t smoke.” The Bible does give us principles—basic guidelines—that will fit every situation.
II Corinthians 6:14, for example, teaches that a Christian should only date another Christian. So, if Fred isn’t a Christian, Ethel knows he’s not the right guy for her.
I Corinthians 3:16-17 teaches us to take care of our bodies. As Christians, the Holy Spirit lives in our bodies. That means that smoking, drugs, overeating, or anything else
that could harm our bodies is off limits. That makes a lot of hard choices easier.
I encourage you to read and study the Bible. Get familiar with the principles it teaches. Prepare yourself to be a wise and prudent decision maker.
As we pause for a moment to pray together, I encourage you to prepare your mind to download the Inductive Study Guide and delve deeper into Proverbs 13:16 (and any of the other verses in this devotional article). Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, teach me Your principles so I can use them whenever I have a decision to make. In Jesus’ name. Amen.