Proverbs 22                                                                                                           

Good morning son,

When some scriptures leap off the page to me I take particular notice. Such was the case this morning.

Proverbs 22:3

“A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.”

I reread the chapter several times, hoping that a different verse would leap off the page. However, this was to no avail. Sure there were several other scriptures that could have warranted discussion - “The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.” (vs 12) or “He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.”(vs8) and even “A generous man will himself be blessed for he shares his food with the poor,” considering what is going on in our house this holiday season. However, it was the above verse, verse 3 which kept grabbing my attention. And my child, that caused no little bit of concern.

See when the Lord, in my time with Him, a time for Him to prepare me for the day I am beginning, puts forth a word of warning advising a response to danger I have to ask myself what danger am I in? And make no mistake, this is indeed a warning.

Verse 3 makes it plain that I should take refuge from danger, otherwise I will suffer. But refuge from WHAT danger?

When I first look at the passage I find a little comfort because it is obviously a danger that He has made known - “A prudent man sees danger . . .” I do take a little comfort here, but only a little.

See I find myself thinking that this is a deep perception or seeing of something by someone utilizing their own entire faculties, all of their own knowledge and all of the learning gained from their own experiences. It is not a seeing which is superficial, but one which requires me to be alert and willing to examine my heart – for motives, thoughts, actions and their relationship to the Word of God. Knowing that “the heart of man is deceitful in all things” (look it up) I must rely on the heart of God, His wisdom and understanding to look at and examine what I am doing and the circumstances I am. See in my mind there may not be any danger to seek refuge from. But according to God's word the danger may be life threatening, a matter of extreme concern and requiring immediate action. If I look for the danger relying only on my own understanding and wisdom then I will SURELY suffer harm. So I must see things as God sees them. How? Get into His word. Apply the proverbs. Ask Him to enlighten you.

And once I see the danger as God sees it, where do I find refuge?

We have looked previously at scriptures that say we can take refuge in the name of the Lord. We have examined all the names of the Lord and their character. But here the refuge that is implied is one of an action – see if they are NOT prudent but simple they “keep going.” In fact the specific action seems to be NOT to keep going the same way. I am reminded of the story of Baalam who had been hired to curse the Hebrew children and was on the way to do so but was halted in his way. Forgive me but this is too precious a story and completely on point not to write it here:

Numbers 22:22-31:

“... God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey . . . When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.

Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides, when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.

Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam and he was angry and beat her with his staff.

Then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Balaam answered the donkey, “you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand I would kill you right now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No” he said. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down.”

The donkey saw what God saw – the danger to Balaam – an angel ready to cut him down. But Balaam in his own wisdom and understanding, with his own faculties could not see this danger. Balaam only saw the danger to his life and person when God opened his eyes. All along the donkey was taking refuge through an act designed to prevent the imminent danger and destruction of himself and Balaam. His taking of refuge was in several different acts all designed to stop the forward progress of Balaam.

The refuge in this passage in Proverbs is similar, it consists of all actions necessary to prevent our moving forward down the path that we are walking. Note this is not “by any means necessary” – don't look this up, you won't find it anywhere in God's word for God is concerned with the how things are done also. It must be by His direction. And here it must still be an act to stop the forward movement.

As a side note, I always find Balaam's response to the Ass talking rather odd and surprising.

Balaam says to the donkey that the donkey is making Balaam look like a fool! Think about it. Who really looked like the fool if you were watching from afar? The donkey lying on the ground being beaten by the man or the man talking to his donkey? LOL

I think I will preach a sermon one day entitled: “When it takes your Ass speaking to save your ass!” ROTFL!

All laughing aside, unfortunately, sometimes that is what it will take for us to stop moving forward toward our own destruction.

Anyway, I think you get the point. Right?

Today I am asking God to open my eyes to the danger in front of me in the path where I am headed. I am asking him to show me how to take refuge, to stop moving forward toward that destruction. I am going to ask him also to give me the boldness to do what he says to stop. Then I am going to do it.

I suggest you do the same.

He won't have to make my Ass speak to save my ass. Hopefully he won't have to for you either.

Got it? Got Word?

Love yah,

dad