August 19 Devotion - Hide and don't seek

The prudent sees danger and hides himself/herself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. Therefore be careful how you walk, not as an unwise person but as a wise person. Do not even associate with a person given to angry outbursts; or go [along] with a hot-tempered person, ²⁵ or you will learn his/her [undisciplined] ways and get yourself trapped [in a situation from which it is hard to escape].

العاقِلُ يَختَبِئُ عِندَما يَرَى المَشاكِلَ آتِيَةً، وَالجاهِلُ يَدخُلُ فِي المَشاكِلِ فَيَنالُ العِقابَ.

فَانْتَبِهُوا تَمَاماً إِذَنْ كَيْفَ تَسْلُكُونَ بِتَدْقِيقٍ، لَا سُلُوكَ الْجُهَلاَءِ بَلْ سُلُوكَ الْعُقَلاَءِ،

لا تُصادِقِ الغَضُوبَ، وَلا تُرافِقِ الَّذِي يَثُورُ بِسُرعَةٍ. 25 لِئلّا تَتَعَلَّمَ سُلُوكَهُ، وَتُوقِعَ نَفسَكَ فِي الفَخِّ.

Proverbs 22:3

Ephesians 5:15

Proverbs 22:24-25

Being prudent means being wise, sage, sensible, having or showing sound judgment. Having a great understanding of people and of situations and good discernment and judgment in dealing with them. We need to hide from situations and people that lead to evil and we need to have discernment on who we befriend and whom we deal with staying away from people who may have loud or public outbursts who cannot control their temper lest we learn their ways and find ourselves in a relationship that is difficult to end. We need to be in the company of people who apply the word of God, knowing it only is not sufficient.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, help to be always prudent and to stay away from danger and to be wise in all my actions and communication. Help me to choose my friends and acquaintances wisely and surround me with godly people who apply Your teachings Lord. Protect me Lord from situations or relationships that lead to suffering. Help me to always control my temper and to choose my words and actions carefully in accordance with Your teachings. Thank You Father for Your deep and everlasting love for me and Your abundant blessings and the riches of Your grace in my life. In Your name Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, I pray to The Father. To Jesus be the glory, the power, the dominion, the majesty and the blessings forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein