Use Judgment

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

USE JUDGMENT

Prov 17:18

18 A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

NIV

A hard truth in light of the contrast to what Solomon just wrote about friendship and brothers. It is one thing to give someone out of our ability and without causing damage to our own family, but here we are warned about putting up all we have for the sake of one who, what looks like, has not manage their own affairs and find themselves in a position of losing all they have. Generosity is noble and right, but we should note it should be with good judgment. To lack judgment in life is to be without thoughtful consideration of the consequences of our actions. All actions cause some kind of reactions. Let us carefully consider what course of action we take, especially in the matter of standing in for another, putting our name, our life in the place of another. This is not that we should abandon them, but use judgment.