Proverbs 28:26
“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”
Thoughts from Amanda Cook
Dive Deeper
Behind the Scenes
This verse really could stand on its own. It’s pretty clear that we should not trust in our own minds, but let’s break it down a bit…
Whoever trusts in his own mind – in his own thinking, reflection, memory.
Fool – stupid fellow, dullard (I just like that word), simpleton — arrogant one
Walks in wisdom – whoever trusts in the Lord.
Delivered – escape, saved
Okay, so maybe I could say something like, “If I trust in my own thinking based on my reflection and memories then I am stupid, a simpleton or arrogant. But if I trust in the Lord, then I will be saved from my stupid decisions and escape the consequences.” (Colleen’s Revised Version)
Make it Real
When I was a little girl, I had something traumatic happen to me. As I look back on my life and some of my decisions and behaviors, I can see how that experience shaped so many of my thoughts and beliefs about the world. I walked in a way that said, “I’ve got this, and I know what I’m doing.” But you see, I was looking through a colored lens of lies of my experiences and lies the enemy was telling me about myself. I was not looking through the clear lens of God’s truth. I had faith in my own wisdom. And you were NOT going to tell me I was wrong.
Now, as a follower of Christ, I can see clearly how messed up that thinking was. How stupid and arrogant I was. How trapped I was in faulty thinking because I was trusting in my own mind. When I trust in the Lord, when I use His Word and Truth as my plumb line for right living, I am freed from my arrogance and foolishness.
Don’t get me wrong, I still make stupid decisions. I still turn to my own “truth” and my own “wisdom” sometimes. BUT the difference is now I have the Holy Spirit to turn me back to His Truth. I have the Helper living inside of me to help steer me to the right decisions – back to wisdom. And when I do that, I am delivered.
What memory or experience are you putting your faith in that you need to look at through the lens of God’s mercy and grace? Where do you need to walk with God to experience deliverance?
Colleen McGeorge
ACF Devo Team
End in Prayer
Father God,
I love You so much! Thank you for Your grace and mercy! Thank You for being my source of Truth, the source I can always rely on. Help me today to be able to see when my own thoughts and “wisdom” are not grounded in Your truth.
In Jesus’ Name
AMEN