The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbour comes and examines him. —
Proverbs 18:17
Four centuries ago, when Galileo Galilei began amplifying the theory that the earth and other planets revolved around the sun, he ruffled the feathers of the establishment. The religious and political authorities of his time threatened his life and fought tooth and nail to stop what they perceived as heresy. Today, it is widely accepted that the earth revolves around the sun.Proverbs 18:17
In any conflict or issue involving two parties, the one who speaks first and presses home their claims often seems to be reasonable and right. In the absence of counter claims, the person’s submissions are accepted as facts, especially when delivered with fervour and emotion. Anything can sound good in a vacuum, however, all propositions must be thoroughly tested to ascertain their validity. Paul wrote in I Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
Have you ever been utterly shocked by an experience that totally contradicted the testimony you had heard about a person, experience or place? Have you heard arguments being made that you knew were totally wrong but sounded so compelling? One of the notable manifestations of wisdom is sound judgment. The wise person is not easily taken by what they hear from one side. They take time to check the veracity of rumours before they run off to destroy other people’s reputations. They carefully ponder over a matter before they come to an informed conclusion.
Prayer:
Lord, grant me the wisdom and maturity to carefully ponder over issues and to make the right judgements in all situations.Scripture Reading:
Proverbs 18:1-17
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