Believers should seek to be pure in every facet of life. One might consider limiting this to the places he goes or the things he hears and sees, but purity demands a much greater focus. Believers ought to think on pure things (Philippians 4:8) with pure minds (2 Peter 3:1) and pure consciences (1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3). In particular, believers should have pure hearts before the Lord (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22). A pure heart will lead to a pure conscience and a pure mind. A pure heart changes where a man goes, what he looks upon, and the things he allows to enter into his ears. Every Christian should strive to make sure that all things are pure.
Our flesh makes us naturally prone to rebellion and uncleanness. Yet, fewer and fewer people seem willing to accept this Bible truth. Most men would rather continue in uncleanness while pretending to live pure before the Lord. According to our passage, “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” It is impossible to be simultaneously pure and filthy. We may understand this from a practical standpoint but refuse to accept it spiritually. True purity is never based on man’s opinion but upon God’s unwavering point of view. The word of God remains the only mechanism for determining truth and error. Instead of repenting and striving to align with God’s viewpoint, the worldly Christian will claim purity while walking in his filthiness. Unfortunately, Christians are moving away from the truth rather than toward it.
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). As such, the words that proceed from our mouths provide helpful insights into the condition of our hearts. A man can only deceive with his words for so long; eventually, his speech exposes the reality of his heart's condition. The Bible reinforces this truth when it says, “the words of the pure are pleasant words” (Proverbs 15:26). The Bible also identifies words of praise to God as “pleasant” words (Psalm 135:3; Psalm 147:1). Impure words manifest an unpleasantness. Whereas, a pure heart utters pure words and speaks of the Lord and of His goodness.
God is pure in every way. It logically follows that a pure God speaks only pure words. The Bible insures that we know the truth about these matters. According to scripture, “the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:8). The writer later adds, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it” (Psalm 119:140). Both verses speak of the word of God in its entirety. In other words, the word of God (all 66 books) is without any foreign substance that would defile it in any way. The scripture also declares that the “words of the LORD are pure words” (Psalm 12:6). Again, which words? The Lord insures that there is no excuse for not understanding that “Every word of God is pure” (Proverbs 30:5). The Devil hates God and the things of God. He wants the world to believe that the Bible has been defiled. God claims otherwise. Who will you believe; God or the Devil?
An inheritance can come in many forms from those who have departed this life. It may include homes, cars, furnishings, and even one's entire life savings. These treasures can help and bless those in need. However, no material blessings can surpass the spiritual blessings that come directly from the Lord. Material inheritances usually come from parents or other relatives, but the Bible points to an inheritance that only comes from the Lord: a prudent wife. We may consider prudence as an irreplaceable trait for a man, but this blessing holds true for a woman also. A prudent wife is of great worth and a wonderful gift from God. The Bible confirms that a man blessed with a prudent wife and children blessed with a prudent mother should thank the Lord.
Every astute Bible student knows the importance God places upon wisdom. Accordingly, the Bible says, “Wisdom is the principal thing” (Proverbs 4:7). The verse continues, “therefore get wisdom.” No doubt, wisdom serves as one of the most important gifts for which a believer should seek God. In fact, the Lord promises, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). More than likely, these truths are not new, but some Christians fail to recognize the association of wisdom with prudence. We ought to rejoice knowing that by seeking prudence, we are seeking wisdom; and by seeking wisdom, we are seeking prudence.
Many people, including Christians, find criticism hard to accept, especially when the criticism seems to be unjustified. However, criticism (or reproof as the Bible refers to it) remains a useful tool in developing one's character. Today's text says, “A fool despiseth his father’s instruction.” In fact, the fool refuses to readily receive instruction, certain that he does not need to hear it. Yet, the prudent “regardeth reproof.” A prudent man will listen to the instructions or reproofs of others knowing that the Lord uses reproofs to adjust one’s shortcomings. The prudent man may or may not totally agree with the criticisms, but will listen to them knowing that God can still use these reproofs to change his heart.
Today, man has access to more information than at any time in history. Yet people generally seem to incorporate less spiritual research. Today's text contrasts two people and their modes of research. “The simple believeth every word.” A simple man reads something and accepts it as truth without due consideration. He hears an advertisement and buys a product without additional research. He hears something taught and believes it without considering that the source may be tainted. However, a prudent man does not behave like the simple. The Bible says that he “looketh well to his going.” He doesn’t believe something merely because he considers the teacher smart. He doesn’t buy a product simply because someone said he couldn't do without it. He studies, he researches, and he learns the facts before making his choices or decisions.
People base decisions on different things: some make choices based on their feelings, others by chance or counsel, and some by knowledge. A prudent man does not trust his feelings for making the right choices lest he be led astray. He does not believe in chance and verifies counsel before choosing his direction. When he decides, he only trusts one foundation; and that is knowledge that comes from God. His certainty for decisions only comes from facts that he can verify. Proverbs has much to say about the association of knowledge and prudence. “A prudent man concealeth knowledge”(Proverbs 12:23); “the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (Proverbs 14:18); “The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15). A prudent man demands knowledge and seeks after it with his whole heart. By doing so, he avoids the terrible fate of the fools and the simple.
Prudence is commonly connected to the word providence. With this in mind, one can understand that prudence involves the ability to foresee the possibility of future events. Of course, this does not refer to the work of modern day “prophets” who claim to have supernatural visions from God, but is related to wisdom that originates with God. These truths are borne out in our passage where we read, “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself.” The importance of this truth bears repeating in Proverbs 27:12. Wisdom and prudence work together (Proverbs 8:12) to help us to consider possible future results when making decisions. In our passage, the prudent foresees the evil and makes a decision to hide himself, while the simple fail to steer clear of the evil and are punished for it.
