Proverbs 14:33 Wisdom Makes Herself Known Among Fools

"Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools." Proverbs 14:33

My devotional readings today was in 2 Samuel chapters 11-14. I have to tell you that my heart ached as I read these passages. I was thinking to myself, "What hope is there when such foolishness abounds in our hearts and in those around us?" In these chapters David commits adultery and murders Uriah. Then in chapter thirteen Amnon violates his half-sister at the encouragement of his servant. And then Absalom, Tamar's angry brother, has his servant kill Amnon and David grieves over all of this stuff.

Why are we so quick to do foolish things? Why are we so quick to speak foolish words? Why is it that we seem to be surrounded by so many things that speak foolishness to us in the moment when we need wisdom and understanding to speak the clearest and loudest? I found my heart grieved by all of this.

Then I turned to Proverbs 14 and read this verse, "Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools." What a wonderful verse. I love the fact that wisdom resides in the hearts of those who have understanding; but I am so encouraged by the fact that wisdom can be found even among a bunch of fools. And not only can it be found among fools but we are told that it makes itself known.

Isn't that encouraging. Sometimes I view wisdom and understanding like the wallet I cannot find or the set of keys that has gone missing. It seems as though these things elude us even when they look us right in the face. But then I see here that the Lord makes wisdom known in the hardest and most confusing circumstances.

David should have prayed for wisdom when he looked out and saw Bathsheba. The Lord was there when this happened because we are told later that what David did displeased the Lord. How quickly God would have come to David's rescue if he had called out to him.

Amnon should have sought the Lord and his wisdom when his servant spoke to him and devised a wicked plan. A plan that crushed love and destroyed a family.

Absalom should have brought this issue to light and sought vengeance through the proper means. Instead he devised his own wicked plan.

But in all of this wisdom was there each time in the midst of these things. Wisdom was ready to reveal itself to anyone who would look up to the Lord. Wisdom was there to make itself known if anyone of them would have turned aside from folly to the Word of the Lord.

Lord, I am a foolish man. Let wisdom make itself known to me and let me be surrounded by friends who have understanding.