Planning Prudently

The Prudent Give Thought to Their Steps. Proverbs 14, 15. Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs.

The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. Planning Prudently, written by Patricia Raybon. Small town physician, Esdan, nurtured a grand dream for his young daughter Eleanor. She has Down syndrome, and he hoped to open a business to provide paid work for her future. Feeling terrified to pursue his dream, he took an online course on how to start a business. Then he and his wife launched a family bakery in their Wyoming town, and it's thriving. It has become a real business with a staff, Esdan said. Eleanor, now grown, works the cash register and connects with online customers.

Everybody in town knows who she is, says Esdan. His leap of faith in planning for Eleanor's future reflects his choice to be prudent. It's a classic biblical virtue. Prudence is an element of wisdom that God ordains for our current and future planning. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, says Proverbs 14 8, but the folly of fools is deception. Rather than worry about the future or do nothing about it, prudent people look to God for wisdom to plan for it. In fact, prudence comes directly from the Latin word prudentia, meaning foresight. The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.

For seeing what could happen, they work sensibly to build a safety net, a strong course of action for the wise. With clear-eyed faith, may we live prudently in step with God. Let's pray. Father, help us to live with prudence, to thoughtfully plan our steps seeking your wisdom for our present and future. May we be sensitive to your guidance as we trust you with our lives. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. As you go about your day, reflect on these questions. What has God shown you about how to plan in a way that honors Him? By faith, how are you prudently planning for a wise future?