Proverbs 14:1-16: a reflection

1Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands. 2He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him. 3The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. 4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox. 5A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies. 6A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person. 7Stay away from a foolish man, for you won’t find knowledge on his lips. 8The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit. 9Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will. 10The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger. 11The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. 13Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness. 14The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways. 15A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways. 16A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.

Among these proverbs is one that sounds a note of warning about our own judgment: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. A path can seem right to us, feel right, look right by our own lights, and yet lead, in the end, to ruin. Our own sense of what is right is not always a reliable guide; what seems right can be deeply wrong, and lead us where we did not mean to go.

Notice the gap the proverb exposes: between how a way seems and where it actually leads. We navigate much of life by our own sense of what is right, trusting our judgment, following the path that seems right to us. But this proverb warns that this sense can deceive us; a way can seem right and yet end in death. Our own judgment, unchecked, is not always trustworthy; what feels right to us is not always what is right before God.

That calls for humility about our own judgment. We are prone to trust our own sense of what is right, to follow the path that seems right to us without questioning it. But the proverb warns that this can lead us astray; what seems right is not always right. The wiser course is not to lean only on our own judgment, but to test our sense of the right path against God's word and God's ways, and to seek his guidance rather than simply following what seems right to us. Do not simply trust the way that seems right to you; hold it up to God's truth, and seek his direction. Our own sense of right can deceive us; be humble about your own judgment, and let God's word, not merely your own sense of what seems right, guide your way.

Lord, your word warns that there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death; my own sense of what is right is not always a reliable guide. Give me humility about my own judgment. I navigate much of life by my own sense of what is right, trusting my judgment, following the path that seems right to me without questioning it. But this sense can deceive me; a way can seem right and yet end in ruin. What feels right to me is not always what is right before you. Keep me from leaning only on my own judgment. Help me test my sense of the right path against your word and your ways, and to seek your guidance rather than simply following what seems right to me. Do not let me simply trust the way that seems right to me; help me hold it up to your truth and seek your direction. My own sense of right can deceive me; let your word, not merely my own judgment, guide my way.