Proverbs 27:12

A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.

Proverbs 27:12

As we walk with God, we are commanded to be aware of our choices, our surroundings, and our circumstances.  The enemy is a roaring lion, looking to devour us, and we must continually be on guard for spiritual attack.  Today’s verse contrasts those who are wise with those who are foolish.  When James wanted to illustrate a hearer rather than a doer of the word, he pictured someone looking at themselves in a mirror, and then walking away forgetting what they looked like.  

We have a similar situation here in Proverbs. The wise person is on the lookout, walking circumspectly, and when he foresees something bad in a situation, he simply avoids it. Yet the foolish either conducts himself oblivious to his choices and surroundings, or worse yet, sees what is coming and continues on his path only to suffer the consequences. God gives us His word and the Holy Spirit so that we are able to navigate wisely through our various circumstances and choices in life. Given this knowledge, we are called to walk, “circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15). For doing so will enable us to make wise choices that help us to avoid calamity in our lives.

Walking circumspectly,

Pastor Jeff Mericle