Proverbs 13:15
”Having a good understanding of things will bring favor into your life.”
I cannot tell you how many times that I have listened to someone trying to relate some type of truth to me, and to my shame, the only thing which I could offer in return, was to say, “I am so sorry. I do not understand anything you are saying.”
Most of the time it was not that he or she was not relating to me the information properly. Nor was it an issue that the information was not true. It was simply just something that was totally outside of my realm of knowledge. I had no viable experience from which I could connect a point of reference to properly understand the information which was being related to me.
There is no quick and easy way to gain understanding! It is simply a result of having applied knowledge over and over and over again in a variety of environments, situations and circumstances. To put it into simple terms, understanding is the direct result of experience. It is our level of experience in the things which pertain to ordinary and physical life, which ultimately grants us favor in the eyes of our peers, and our level of experience in the things which pertain to our spiritual life, which grants us favor in the eyes of God.
Proverbs 13:15
“…but the way of the rebellious is hard.”
But hard-headed, stubborn, rebellious and foolish folks in this world will continue to transgress the boundaries of what is good and proper, concerning things both spiritual and physical. Their way is a hard way, simply because they still have not learned to change their methods, despite the continuous destructive results of their failed experiments to overcome, or overthrow the common sense truths which govern all things spiritual and physical.
George Bernard Shaw says, “Success does not consist in never making mistakes…but in never making the same one a second time.” Benjamin Franklin says, “It is insanity to do the same thing over and over again…continuously expecting a different result.” In order to get different results you must try a different experiment with different methods...based on some kind of predetermined knowledge and truth!
Furthermore, no matter how much you may want to change the status quo, develop something new, or discover something hidden… if you do not apply any form of truth to your trial, don’t expect to get back any good results.
Ephesians 4:17-18
“…walk not as others walk…whose understanding has been darkened…being alienated from the life of God through ignorance…”
Understanding certainly does grant favor, but it does not come cheaply for any of us. As I stated earlier, it is an element gained only through experimental application. This is a class of life that God, as a Father, will not let any of us go around! You cannot avoid it…from no matter what status you might begin your journey. And, as this scripture so eloquently states...it is better to learn from the ignorance, pain, and trial of others…than that of our own. Even better…it is to our advantage to learn from the wise…whose purposes were built and established through their faithful application of God’s truth…and the undeniable strength of his favor!
May the eyes of our understanding be so enlightened as our Father sends us through the class of trial and experiment…and may God through his grace and wisdom establish his purposes through us…and upon us…both today and for many generations to come!