Proverbs 12:8
A man shall be commended according to his wisdom:
But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
What are we to commend a man for? Physical strength? Charisma? Charm? Handsomeness? Intelligence?
A man’s spiritual maturity is defined by the things he admires; by the things he has a high regards for and gives priority to. Does he care mostly for sensual things, carnal things? How does fare in the day of ‘hard choices’? Is he easily ticked by vanity? Is his conversation mostly shallow? Does he yield to pride? Does he feel the need to boast in order to make himself important in the eyes of others? On the other hand, a man’s spiritual maturity is also defined by his friends, those who seek his presence. Does he feel comfortable in the presence of the proud, shallow and foolish? In turn, do they feel comfortable around him?
Our media today, and even our system honors the shallow, the proud and the vain. These are given the honor and glory that in ancient days were onlyu given to kings. They are called ‘stars’ and ‘idols’, and rightfully so. They have become the object of venerations of many who spent their lives and money on these new gods who live their lives in abject wealth and perversion, all for the adulation of a crowd mostly consisted of vain, shallow, young and immature people.
But whom will God reward in the Day of Judgment? Our author says it: a man shall be commended by his wisdom; he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. To define perversion, we must first define wisdom. The wisdom implied here is the wisdom of living a life seeking to please God; striving to emulate His virtues; of living a life that glorifies the Maker of us all and what He is all about. By contrast therefore, ‘perversion’ in this text is to rationalize God’s virtues so much in our heart that we end up living a life that dishonors Him who gives us our daily breath.
A life of perversion, the earthly crowds cheer; a life of wisdom, the heavenly crowds cheers; and we are the ones who choose.
A man shall be commended according to his wisdom:
But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
What are we to commend a man for? Physical strength? Charisma? Charm? Handsomeness? Intelligence?
A man’s spiritual maturity is defined by the things he admires; by the things he has a high regards for and gives priority to. Does he care mostly for sensual things, carnal things? How does fare in the day of ‘hard choices’? Is he easily ticked by vanity? Is his conversation mostly shallow? Does he yield to pride? Does he feel the need to boast in order to make himself important in the eyes of others? On the other hand, a man’s spiritual maturity is also defined by his friends, those who seek his presence. Does he feel comfortable in the presence of the proud, shallow and foolish? In turn, do they feel comfortable around him?
Our media today, and even our system honors the shallow, the proud and the vain. These are given the honor and glory that in ancient days were onlyu given to kings. They are called ‘stars’ and ‘idols’, and rightfully so. They have become the object of venerations of many who spent their lives and money on these new gods who live their lives in abject wealth and perversion, all for the adulation of a crowd mostly consisted of vain, shallow, young and immature people.
But whom will God reward in the Day of Judgment? Our author says it: a man shall be commended by his wisdom; he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. To define perversion, we must first define wisdom. The wisdom implied here is the wisdom of living a life seeking to please God; striving to emulate His virtues; of living a life that glorifies the Maker of us all and what He is all about. By contrast therefore, ‘perversion’ in this text is to rationalize God’s virtues so much in our heart that we end up living a life that dishonors Him who gives us our daily breath.
A life of perversion, the earthly crowds cheer; a life of wisdom, the heavenly crowds cheers; and we are the ones who choose.
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