A couple of times while driving recently I’ve encountered a squirrel running out on the road, right into my lane. As I approached and was only a car-length away, both times the rodent stopped, took a few steps in one direction, then turned in another, at which point the car was almost on top of them. I hit the brakes and swerved slightly, trying not to run them over. Looking in my rear view mirror it appeared I missed them both times, but I was struck by their failure to proactively see what was coming and to change course, and then their indecision in the face of almost certain death. As clever as they are in raiding bird feeders, squirrels are simple, instinct-driven creatures, lacking in wisdom and foresight, and they do some foolish things.
Sadly, sometimes people don’t act much more intelligent than these squirrels that run in the path of speeding cars. I like The Message translation of Proverbs 22:3 which reads, “A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.”
The book of Proverbs is full of contrasts between the wise and the foolish. Here are a just a few:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice (Proverbs 12:15).
One who walks with wise people will be wise, But a companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20).
There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12).
The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps (Proverbs 14:15).
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness (Proverbs 15:2).
A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind (Proverbs 18:2).
It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel (Proverbs 20:3).
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe (Proverbs 28:26).
When those squirrels stopped in the middle of the street trying to decide which way to go as a car was bearing down on them, it reminded me of Bible passages about death and life. One of the first was in Deuteronomy 30:19 where Moses told the children of Israel they could choose between death and life, the blessing or the curse. In case the right choice wasn’t obvious to them, he tacked on, “Choose life.” That seems intuitive, doesn’t it? But how often do we ignore God’s wisdom and make poor choices?
Romans 8:6 tells us that the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.
When we lean on our own understanding and leave God out of our thinking, we are operating in the flesh, acting with the intelligence of a squirrel running into traffic. God’s Word and Spirit will lead us in paths of wisdom. Don’t be road kill; choose life!
Wonderful, JB – thanks! And since I see squirrels every day, your scriptural analogies will frequently come to mind!
New joke: Why did the squirrel cross/not cross the road? To inspire JB! 🙂
In particular, you need to know which way you are going, before the crisis hits. it’s too late to think about decisions when the (metaphorical) car is bearing down on you in the highway. In the same way, you need to have built a solid foundation in the Word when the crisis of life hits (and you know it always does), so that you already know which way to go and are not lost in indecision.