Self-sufficiency Sevres Solutions

 “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” (Pr 3:7 AV)

This really jumped out at me this morning.  The underlined phrase is why.  We can look at this verse in the most extreme example.  That being, rebellion, and arrogancy against the wisdom of God.  However, there is a more subtle tendency to which we might succumb.  I like what John Gill says about the passage. “So as to act independently of God; not to trust in him, nor acknowledge him, nor seek to him for help and direction; nor ask nor take the advice of others; but, being conceited and self-sufficient,…”  It is that self-sufficiency that I’d like to consider this morning.

Men are particularly challenged in this area.  We don’t like to stop and ask for directions.  We don’t like to read all the instructions that come with a purchase.  We think we can figure it all out on our own.  Cars are not my thing.  In fact, anything mechanical is not my thing.  I can diagnose a problem, but I lack basic hands-on experience to fix something right the first time.  I’ll give you an example of a failure, then I will give you an example of a pass.  Years ago, I owned a huge wagon.  Chevy was the make I believe.  It had a heating problem.  The temperature gauge always ran hot.  I replace the thermostat.  That didn’t work.  I took the thermostat out.  That didn’t work.  So, the next step was to put a different thermostat in which a mechanic friend of mine told me to try.  It was at this point that I couldn’t get the new thermostat in without taking both bolts out.  The first was a breeze.  The second, not so much.  I ended up breaking off the head.  Not bothering to get help, I tried to drill out the bolt.  This lead to going all the way through the engine head.  This project started with a simple problem and ended up more complicated because I didn’t ask for help from someone who knew what they were doing.  Decades later, I have to replace the motor on our bathroom ceiling fan.  Looking at it, I could not figure how to get to it.  It had to be easier than I was observing.  In my young years, I would have taken a crowbar to it and probably destroyed the ceiling.  Instead, I consulted that wizard of knowledge, YouTube.  Watching a video I discovered just how simple it was.  Instead of watching it until my question was answered, I watched the whole video.  Even if they were telling me things I already knew.  In doing so, I learned simple applications that made my job a bit easier, less messy, and quite efficient.

The point is simple.  We have to know what we do not know and be humble enough the seek advice and help from others who know more than we know.  When it comes to the direct application mentioned above, we need to admit to ourselves that compared to the LORD, we know nothing.  To even begin to assume we know enough not to be dependent upon the LORD for wisdom is the ultimate in pride.  This would be the ultimate in declaration of self-sufficiency.  But, we do this all the time.  Even if we do know what we are doing because the LORD has already given us wisdom, perhaps it would be a good idea to pray about it anyway and ask the LORD to reveal anything we had missed.  To go through life independent of God and His wisdom is more than foolish.  It is destructive.  It is our male tendency. Humility must rule the day.  Admitting our limitations is not a weakness.  It is wisdom.  Seeking the knowledge of the LORD is strength.  Not a weakness.  So, let us go to the word of God and our knees that we may stay humble in our ignorance as He shows us His wisdom.