Which Will It Be?

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
WHICH WILL IT BE
Prov 10:14
14 Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
NIV
If there is anything of value to store up for the purpose of a good life it is knowledge, and not just any knowledge but that of God. Of what purpose is the knowledge of other men? All it can bring is perhaps worldly gain, if used correctly and applied toward that purpose. Yet this is nothing more than temporal gain, however pleasant it may be. A truly wise man stores up the knowledge of God within his mind and heart. This is eternal and brings spiritual gain far beyond any material matters. It is this knowledge which is stored up and can be used in the appropriate time to offer a defense against the fiery arrows of the evil one. It is only the Word of God which can cause the devil to flee from me. This is what I must store up within me, this knowledge of God, his word and his ways. I have a defense ready to be deployed whenever needed. But the person who has never stored up the word of God and has not stored up this knowledge of God within them has no defense. Whatever words he uses are certainly not a worthy defense against the devil, if he even attempts to defend himself from that evil one. No, this fool has nothing; no knowledge of God stored up and therefore invites only ruin. He may have great material gain, but he is spiritually bankrupt and his eternal end is ruin. Being wise is essential to life, eternal life. Being wise is all about knowing God. Sure I am not perfect, and the enemy of my soul still struggles against me, but I do have a defense, actually an offense against this adversary if I choose to deploy it. Granted sometimes I am drawn away, but not by him who is determined to destroy me, but by my own desires. I really do not need any help to do wrong, I am quite capable myself. But by storing up the knowledge of God within me, and being able to bring that to mind, I am able to withstand those moments with greater efficiency. It really is clear, it is far better to be wise than foolish.