Turn It Off

Read Proverbs 2

Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted.

Proverbs 2:12

The story is told of an unfortunate woman whose accelerator became stuck as she was leaving the parking lot of a local bank. The “self-propelled” station wagon bolted across four lanes of traffic, sideswiped two telephone poles, and steamrolled a postal box before finally boomeranging into the evacuated lobby of the bank. Her teary testimony about her foiled attempts to wrangle the “wild beast” into reverse, neutral, or even park was silenced when the officer at the scene asked, “Did it occur to you to turn off the ignition?”

Sometimes common sense eludes us when we need it the most. What disastrous chain reactions common sense can avoid! Often the precursor to wisdom, common sense is an insider’s tip. It’s the voice inside that alerts us to others’ mischievous motives and questionable quandaries. Common sense makes us take note that something’s not quite right. Wisdom follows in the form of a choice—a decision not to partner with impiety. Fools, too, hear the same voice—they merely decide to ignore it.

A WORD FOR TODAY

Wisdom decides whom to listen to.

Today, Lord, may I use common sense in dealing with others in order to choose wisely. Save me from foolish mistakes.