NUGGETS OF WISDOM

PSALM 29:9, 11, 18, 25 NKJV 

9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man, 

Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace. 

 11 A fool vents all his feelings, 

But a wise man holds them back. 

 18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; 

But happy is he who keeps the law. 

 25 The fear of man brings a snare, 

But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. 

We could call the entire book of Proverbs nuggets of wisdom. But here are a few choice nuggets for today. 

If someone who has wisdom, godly wisdom, is having a confrontation with a foolish person there will be no winning. 

Like trying to argue the existence of God with an atheist. No way to win here. Angry or mocking the foolish person is impossible to argue with. So, our best course of action is don't try. To the person who sneers " to me there is a God" Don't try. Just bless their heart and move on.   

This next nugget in verse 11 flies in the face of all conventional wisdom regarding mental and emotional health. Venting and letting it all out, is not the way of God's wisdom. And yet that's what people are told to do. The common instruction when it comes to our feelings is to give voice to them. To cry, yell, express, but vent in some way. 

God's wisdom says that wise people do just the opposite. Wise people hold their feelings back. The problem with venting our feelings is that we are giving our feelings too much voice, too much power.  

We were never biblically instructed to walk by feelings. That can be a prickly path. We walk by faith living above how we feel.  

Venting does not let the problem out. It helps to establish the problem in a stronger way. 

Verse 18 says where there is no vision or revelation it limits our control. Where there is vision, there is a path to walk. God's law, word, is a vision that provides guidance and restraint. Those who keep His word are the happy ones.  

Verse 20 makes a great case for being slow to speak. Solomon was not worried about hurting feelings when he wrote that fools have a better chance than quick talkers. I can say ouch to that one.   

And finally, verse 25 is a power nugget with a far-reaching impact. Being afraid of man, what others think, is a trap. But having a reverence for God above man is the safe place. Jesus was our best example of this truth. He had no fear of man and did not try to please man. He was crucified only because He allowed Himself to be taken. He did that for us so that we could be saved.   

PRAYER:  

Thank You, Father, for Your wisdom. Help me see more and more of Your truth and light.