Introductory Thoughts
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.
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): It is raining so you must play indoors with your friend. Would it be better to play with a ball and bat inside or quietly work some puzzles together? Why? When you consider the consequences of your actions and decide to avoid trouble by making the right choice, the Bible says you are prudent.
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(For everyone): Do you try to think about the outcome of your decisions before you make them or do you make decisions only to be surprised by their effects? Prudence will help in this area.
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Do you pray and read your Bible before making decisions? Do you seek godly counsel before making choices that will affect your life?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask the Lord to bless you with prudence.
- Ask the Lord to help you seek His guidance before making decisions.
Song
The More I'm Versed in Wisdom's School
