Do You Prefer Trifling?

I am presently doing a study on Wisdom in the Bible. I got stopped this morning on just one verse. Proverbs 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

I immediately liked the verse, because it is a goal of mine to be a prudent mother and of course, a wise woman overall. However after this morning I see how far away from it I really am.

Websters 1828 Definitions

Wisdom: The right use of knowledge. Discerning or judging what is most just, proper and useful. Discretion.

Now the difference of prudence and wisdom.

*Prudence - The exercise of sound judgement in avoiding evils.

*Wisdom - Exercising sound judgment either in avoiding evil or attempting good.

Now that we understand what the above words mean, lets quickly break down the verse that so mesmerised me.

Folly - Conduct contrary to God's laws.

Fool - Acts contrary to sound wisdom. One who follows his own inclinations, prefers trifling & temporary pleasures to the service of God & eternal happiness.

Deceit - Misleading, false, deceiving yourself and others.

Trifling - A thing of little importance. To indulge in light amusements.

So once I knew the proper definitions I could easily put the verse into these words; The discretion of the prudent (one who wants to avoid evil) is to understand where he is going: but the conduct of the one who follows his own inclinations and prefers his own pleasures is misleading and deceiving.

As I read this again and again, I could not shake the definition of trifling, which was one of the words to explain fool. It nagged on my heart as I realized, I do this often. I indulge in things of little importance, things that offer only temporary amusements and the filling of my time.

Some of the things I have amused myself with have been TV, Movies, Computer Forums, Internet in General, Catalog Browsing, Magazine Reading, Computer Updating, Blogging, and the list goes on and on.

So the question I share with you - DO YOU PREFER TRIFLING OR THE WAY OF WISDOM & PRUDANCE?

My desire for wisdom & prudence is strong, but yet I continue to be a fool, a weak Christian. I will press on and thank God for how far he has brought me & have hope that he will bring me even further.