Ephesians 5:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Walking wisely will save us from all kinds of grief.  Life is full of trouble, some of which is outside of our control.  Some of the problems of life, however, are self-induced.  When we live unwisely, it puts us in a position for bad things to happen to us and, often, those around us.

How can we live wisely in this world?  The best way is to live by the precepts of God.  There is no greater wisdom than that found in the Word of God.  For the next several blogs, I want to look at some of the wise advice given to us by Solomon in the book of Proverbs.  In Proverbs, we find practical instructions for walking wisely.  Let us learn from these instructions, and then apply them to our daily lives.

The first teaching I want us to consider is found in the opening chapter of Proverbs.

Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)
⁷  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Living wisely begins with having the right view of God.  When one realizes that God is almighty, it leads to having a reverential fear of Him.  To fear the Lord is to give Him the respect He deserves based on a knowledge of His Sovereign power.  Having proper reverence for God is the natural result of realizing that He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresence (His presence is everywhere).

Why is the world so sinful?  For the most part, it is because people do not respect God.  Many deny His very existence, attributing the creation of all things to evolutionary developments instead of the hand of God.  This leads to not only a lack of respect for God’s Word, but a dismissal of it altogether.

What is true about the world in general, is also true in the individual lives of people.  People live their lives as if God does not exist, leading to unwise living.  It should be different for those of us who are God’s children, but it is not always so.  We can be influenced by the world so much to where we too begin to live our lives without God.

Let us be sure to fear God.  When we properly fear Him, we will obey His Word.  Remember, this fear is produced by a knowledge of God, and those who know God will obey Him.

1 John 2:3 (ESV)
³  And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

Walking wisely begins with knowing God, fearing Him, and following His Word.  Much trouble will be avoided by those who live accordingly.  

Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)
²⁵  The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.  

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.