Consulting the ‘Map’ for Avoiding Life’s Everyday Perils

Can you imagine being a soldier deployed in a war zone somewhere in the Middle East, Iraq or Afghanistan perhaps, and being sent out on a mission on foot or by transport vehicle? You know the intended route is littered with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), but you have no clue where they are. 

 

What might that be like? Sadly, many in our military have experienced that firsthand, suffering grave injuries or even losing their lives when one of those lethal devices detonated. If only they had been able to refer to a guide – a map of some kind – that could pinpoint the location of each IED or other enemy threats so they could steer clear of them. 

 

Pastor Tony Evans made reference to this on a recent radio broadcast, observing that in many ways our journey through life presents us with similar perils. They might not be physical explosions, but have the capacity to blow up our lives apart in other ways. We call them temptations. They present themselves to us without warning, threatening to set us off course or even stop us dead in our tracks. How can we avoid them?

Fortunately, we have a safety guide, a “map” called the Bible. At times life seems to throw us into harm’s way at every turn, imperiling our health, marriages, families, careers, finances, even our goals and aspirations. Throughout the Scriptures we find principles and truths to help us navigate around the potholes, dead ends and unwanted detours we encounter along the way.

 

We can find beneficial teachings throughout the Bible, but for many years the book of Proverbs has been one of my favorites to find practical, down-to-earth wisdom for virtually every aspect of life. I compiled an book, Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace, citing principles and practices Proverbs offers for folks who spend many hours each week in the marketplace. But Proverbs is just as relevant for teachers, homemakers, married couples, parents, pilots, mechanics, mentors and counselors.

 

Suppose you have a problem with anger, tempted to flare into a destructive rage with little provocation. We find words of caution such as these: “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult” (Proverbs 12:16) and, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control” (Proverbs 29:11). To show how common the issue of unrestrained anger is, we’re provided many other passages on this topic.

 

Maybe you’re a person who isn’t always careful about the things you say. Consider these: “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18). Or, “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down” (Proverbs 26:20). And then there’s my personal favorite, one I’ve had to put into use many times, “When there are many words, transgression is not avoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

 

Early in my adult life I thought credit cards were magical. I didn’t need money in my checking account; all I had to do was “charge it.” Only later did I learn the consequences of accumulated debt and compound interest. Thankfully I came across this admonition: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). I became much more judicious in the use of credit cards and readily available credit.

 

When it comes to decision-making, it’s easy to proceed without considering all perspectives. As they say, we want what we want when we want it. But there’s great wisdom in seeking the advice of people we trust: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22) and, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” (Proverbs 19:20).

 

Husbands may be tempted to take their wives for granted, but Proverbs reminds us they can be among God’s greatest blessings: “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord” (Proverbs 19:14). And most of Proverbs 31 is devoted to extolling the virtues of a godly wife, starting with, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies,” and concluding,“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised…” (Proverbs 31:30).

 

Integrity and honesty are all-or-nothing virtues. You can’t have a little bit of integrity, or be fairly honest. As Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity,” and “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare” (Proverbs 21:6).

 

We’ve probably all felt repulsed by people displaying excessive pride and ego. On the other hand, almost invariably we’re drawn to people who display a humble spirit. We see confirmation of this in the book of Proverbs: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2) and, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). We also find this principle: “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4).

 

There are many other topics we could look at, but even these listed are just the tip of the iceberg of the great wealth of wisdom we find in Proverbs, not to mention the other 65 books of the Bible. Spend a little time in the Scriptures, even use a handy reference to research topics of particular interest to yourself. You’ll find a true roadmap for everyday life, preparing you for the inevitable traps and hazards that pop up along the way.

 

As a passage from the New Testament declares, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Often that “way out” is recalling and implementing God’s promises in His Word.

Benefits of Having Many Advisers

A friend called me, telling about a new business venture he was planning. After he briefly outlined his intentions, I asked whether he had done his “due diligence” in fully researching this kind of enterprise. He assured me that he had and felt ready to proceed.

This wasn’t a field of endeavor I knew anything about, but I had two other friends that I knew had run similar businesses in the past. I suggested that my friend talk with them before casting his plans in concrete, literally and figuratively. My desire wasn’t to change his mind, but rather to ensure he had carefully examined all aspects of his proposed enterprise to avoid the potential for unanticipated problems in the future.

Decisions: What's really 
behind the door?

Years ago I learned an important principle of decision-making. In many instances we make our decisions based on emotion, and then justify those decisions by gathering facts that support the course of action we want to take. Sometimes this works, but other times an emotions-first, facts-second approach can lead to disaster.

Have you heard the saying, “How can it be wrong when it feels so right”? The problem is, feelings can and frequently do cloud sound judgment. So how do we counter that? By seeking out advice and wise counsel from people we trust – even those who won’t necessarily agree with whatever we wish to do.

The book of Proverbs has much to say on this topic. For instance, it states, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure” (Proverbs 11:14). A similar passage tells us, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22).

Through the years I’ve experienced the truth of these words in both positive and negative ways. Determined to do things my way, I have either avoided asking others what they thought, or chose only people who would “tickle my ears” and agree with my foregone conclusions. Later I would discover, too late, what the Bible says about this. Proverbs 12:15 asserts, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” In some cases I’ve indeed taken “the way of a fool,” but experience and wisdom have since taught me the importance of seeking and listening to advice.

Our decisions – especially hasty ones – can be very easily justified and excused. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and if I don’t act now, I’ll miss out!” we reason. Or we tell ourselves, “They don’t agree, but they just don’t understand.” But as the Scriptures tell us, “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe” (Proverbs 28:26).

“Walking in wisdom” can involve being humble enough to consult with others wiser and more savvy than ourselves – and willing to receive and seriously consider their counsel. Which is why Proverbs 19:20 declares, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” Looking at the same question from the opposite angle, we’re told, “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (Proverbs 19:27).

“Hindsight is 20:20,” the familiar adage informs us. But one benefit of seeking wise counsel – especially when pondering difficult, complex, even life-changing decisions – is that others can offer their own hard-earned 20:20 hindsight without our having to gain it through the pain of foolishness and failure.

It’s unhealthy to live in a constant state of regret over wrong choices in the past, but it becomes much easier when we minimize bad decisions. And one of the best ways to do that, I’ve learned (often the hard way), is to “make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance” (Proverbs 20:18). That way, rather than having to devote much of our time to damage control or suffering harsh consequences, we can instead enjoy the fruits of making wise decisions that don’t need to be corrected later.

Another adage wisely urges us to “look before you leap.” Wouldn’t it make sense to look before leaping at critical junctures in life not only from our own limited perspectives, but also through the eyes of others who can offer different points of view? Just as long as our advisers aren’t named Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Moe!