Prov 7:23 [ESV] till an arrow pierces his liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.
I rushed in to taking a job offer once, even as people around me (that I trusted) took time to ask me if I had really considered the decision I was making. They seemed to infer that they knew something that I did not, and that they did not want to go into too many details, but maybe I should pause and reconsider.
I was young, I took it personally, as if these friends were saying that I was not clever enough, or savvy enough to make the right decision. My ego rose up from a short slumber, and replied to myself “I know what I am doing, I am a smart person, and make great decisions, what do they know….?”
I left that job some time later, burnt out, shocked, traumatised, and a shadow of the man who had gone in. The counsel was there, but I refused it. God, in his great mercy, used that experience to shape me and my future in a most wonderful way. Without God, it would have been much more of a disaster. As it was the lesson lasted through the whole process several years – both in the role, and then the time it took to recover and be ready for another senior role.
KNOWLEDGE The picture of a bird rushing into a snare really illuminates the situation. All the bird can see is the bait, and it is propelled by primal urges to survive. The hunter has worked hard to reveal the bait, and to hide the snare. Frequently when we look at a situation, it’s wise to stop, and ask, “what am I not seeing here?”
UNDERSTANDING – Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The LXX has this scripture written as “striking into the liver; and he hastens as a fowl into a snare, not seeing that he runs for his life.” The word used for “and he hastens” in Greek is σπεύδει [speudei] and it appears in different conjugations six times in the New Testament. Each time it has to do with haste, or hurry. One example is in 2 Peter 3:12 – where the lives we choose to lead can “hasten the coming of the day of God….” That’s a point to meditate on hey?
WISDOM – When something seems too good to be true, it is toeio good to be true.
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Activator as a Gallup Strength, can be a bit impatient and wonder “why are we still talking, let’s get this party started.” You bring great energy to the start of a new project, and that is so needed. Take time to listen and consider first.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – An arrow ploughs into his heaviest viscera, as a bird hastens into a snare, he does not realise this will cost him his soul.
Till an arrow – an arrow
pierces – ploughs into
his liver – his heaviest viscera
as a bird – as a biird
rushes – hastens
into a snare – into the snare
he does not know – he does not ask about this
that it will cost him his life – that will cost his soul
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me to have wiesdom about anything that wants me to rush into it – to take time to fist count the cost.
To chat to me as a professional coach/mentor – [email protected]
I so love feedback – please do scroll down and use a few moments to encourage me?