Proverbs 14:8 (NKJV) — 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

Understanding why. Prudent persons display their wisdom by their desire to understand their way, which implies knowing more than just the “what.” It takes little wisdom to see what is happening. The word “way” speaks of the “why.” Fools are concerned only with what is happening, but this approach is deceitful, for nothing happens in a vacuum. Specific actions tend to produce predictable results. There is a seed for every flower. Wisdom causes people to look beneath the surface to find the source, while folly results in deception.

Reminder: The “Daily Wisdom” posts are drawn from my book Proverbs: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World (Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press, 1990). This is a verse-by-verse commentary on the Book of  Proverbs. It is available at pentecostalpublishing.com and amazon.com.

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