Be Still And Know

READ: Proverbs 12.15-16 NLT 'Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.' The language of Proverbs is very black and white. The writer speaks of the wise and does everything he can think of to illustrate how wonderful it is to live in this way. It’s a life of happiness, prosperity and peace and is marked by humility, grace and generosity. It stands in complete contrast to the fool whose way of life is miserable, poor and full of conflict. I suspect that all of us recognise that we lurch between these two extremes. We can see the huge blessings of being wise but have to admit that we are still capable of foolishness at times. If that describes you (and it certainly describes me) the value of Proverbs is that it gives us some clear practical pointers to how to live wisely. These verses give us two pieces of valuable advice. Firstly, listen to others with care because by doing so we are allowing ourselves to be blessed b