Proverbs 30:17-33: a reflection

17“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it. 18“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand: 19The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden. 20“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ 21“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up: 22For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food, 23for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress. 24“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: 25The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer. 26The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks. 27The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks. 28You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces. 29“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going: 30The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any; 31the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up. 32“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth. 33For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”

Among these sayings is a set of small creatures held up as examples of wisdom: There are four things small on the earth, but exceedingly wise. The ants, not strong, yet store up food in the summer; the hyraxes, feeble, yet make their homes in the rocks; the locusts, with no king, yet advance in ranks; the lizard, easily caught, yet found in kings' palaces. These small, weak creatures are wise, providing, sheltering, ordering themselves, despite their smallness and weakness.

Notice what makes these small creatures wise: they act wisely despite their weakness. The ants are not strong, yet they provide for the future, storing food in summer against the winter. The small and feeble creatures do not let their smallness excuse them from wise, provident action; they prepare, shelter, and order themselves wisely. Wisdom, the proverb shows, is not a matter of strength or size, but of acting rightly and providently; even the small and weak can be wise.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can excuse ourselves from wise, provident action by our smallness or weakness, thinking wisdom belongs only to the strong or capable. But the ant, though weak, provides for the future; the small creatures are wise despite their smallness. Wisdom, prudent preparation, provident action, is available even to the small and weak; do not excuse yourself from it by your weakness. Like the ant, provide for the future, prepare, act wisely and providently, even though you are small or weak; wisdom is not a matter of strength, but of acting rightly. Do not think wise, provident action beyond you because you are small or weak; the ant, not strong, still provides for the winter. Be wise like the small creatures, providing, preparing, ordering yourself wisely, despite your smallness or weakness, for wisdom belongs not to the strong alone, but to any who will act rightly and providently, as even the small and weak creatures do.

Lord, among these sayings is a set of small creatures held up as examples of wisdom: the ants, not strong, yet store food in summer; the hyraxes, feeble, yet make their homes in the rocks; the locusts, with no king, yet advance in ranks; the lizard, easily caught, yet found in kings' palaces. These small, weak creatures are wise, providing and ordering themselves, despite their smallness. Show me what makes them wise: they act wisely despite their weakness. The ants are not strong, yet they provide for the future. The small creatures do not let their smallness excuse them from wise, provident action. Wisdom is not a matter of strength or size, but of acting rightly; even the small and weak can be wise. Take that to my heart, for I can excuse myself from wise, provident action by my smallness or weakness, thinking wisdom belongs only to the strong. But the ant, though weak, provides for the future. Wisdom, prudent preparation, provident action, is available even to the small and weak; keep me from excusing myself from it by my weakness. Like the ant, help me provide for the future, prepare, act wisely and providently, even though I am small or weak. Keep me from thinking wise, provident action beyond me because I am small; the ant, not strong, still provides for the winter. Help me be wise like the small creatures, Lord, providing and ordering myself wisely, for wisdom belongs not to the strong alone, but to any who will act rightly.