The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and
discerning sees how deluded they are.
Proverbs 28:11
This ends this reading from God's holy word.
Thanks be to God.
Are you delusional?
Many people are today and they may not be the people you would expect to
be.
For when we think of delusional, we typically think of the underdog, the
one who thinks they have a chance to do something big in life although the odds
of them achieving what they seek are between slim and none.
We find it in athletics as people dream about making it to the pros, not
so much for the opportunity to be considered one of the best in their
profession but rather because they hear about all the money and stature that
comes with being a pro athlete and want a piece of that fame.
We find it in daily life with people with people dreaming of having more
money than they would ever be able to spend although they’re working in menial
jobs. How will they get to the pinnacle of financial prowess from where they
are? By way of any of the number of lotteries that are out there, of course. No
matter that the odds are astronomically stacked against them. It’s the delusion
of winning that leads them to put down their precious dollars to either scratch
a ticket or wait for balls to drop in the right sequence. The same mindset goes
for those who regularly frequent the casinos and gamble away their money.
When I was in the Navy, I found another form of delusion that existed at
many levels of leadership. The delusion was that the leaders thought they were
a lot wiser than the people who worked for them, so much so that they chose to
never listen to anyone but themselves. Smitten by their rank and authority,
they were consumed by pride and conceit and vanity and arrogance, brilliant in
their own eyes and in their own eyes only. Despised by the people who they were
leading, those of lesser rank who could see just how deluded they were while
entrapped by their self-importance.
The matter of people suffering from delusion goes back to the days of
the Bible. We know because Solomon writes about it in today’s proverb, the 11th
verse of Proverbs, Chapter 28. Here’s what he had to say about the matter:
The rich are wise in their
own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.
Here, the delusional are the ones who have money and with it stature.
Their money places them in the upper crust of society and in a place where they
feel entitles them to influence the way things go. They feel that they know
what’s best for the country they live in when in reality they only really care
what’s best for them in most instances. This is why you see people with money
trying to impact elections by putting their money behind candidates who will
support legislation that serves their best interest. The rich think they are
wise in their own eyes but in reality, their motives are driven by a self
consuming selfishness that seeks to serve their needs above the needs of
others.
Funny how the more discerning people can be the people who are really in
need, the people who can see right through the motives of the rich toward what’s
really happening. They can see because they are not blinded by money or fame.
They only see that what is happening bears no real benefits for them.
Often, people who are poor are the more discerning because they don’t
place their trust in money or prestige. Rather, they come to place their trust
and hope in the Lord, the One they rely on to help them in the midst of their
difficulties, the One who gives them clarity and peace in life. And as they
place their trust and hope in the Lord, they gain His wisdom and discernment in
all matters of life.
You see, this is the message the Lord is sending us today.
Want to avoid being delusional?
Then turn to the One who never sends delusion but rather vision, the One
who shines light into every place where there might be darkness in life, the
Lord who is always with us, leading and guiding us through the all the days He
blesses us with. All we need to do is depend on Him and Him alone, seeking His
righteousness and wisdom.
For when we do, we will never be left void or confused or misguided.
Instead, we’ll always be where the He wants us to be as we carry out His will
and way through the guidance and direction of His holy word and Holy Spirit.
Only someone who was delusional would opt for anything else.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
