“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?” (Proverbs 25:6-8 ESV)

As we read these verses from the book of Proverbs we should realize that they have great practical application to our own day. We do not have kings who rule with unlimited power over us (at least not in the west) but we have politicians and elected officials who think and act as if they did. They would benefit from the wisdom revealed here. And, in addition, so would those who voice their opinions and angst on social and broadcast media or in public demonstrations.

The unwise person lacks both humility and patience. Thus, people in the world do not value true wisdom which comes from God but prefer whatever is sensational, lurid, disruptive, and attracts attention but which does not have to be true or based on reality. The fool would rush in to interpret what he or she hears, reads or observes in a superficial manner, at face value. Then he blurts out his conclusions and feelings with self-satisfied smugness, convinced of his own brilliance, selfishly unconcerned about the affects his words have on others, and woefully blind to his own folly.

The wise person realizes he must patiently study and diligently meditate upon a matter before offering an opinion or making a decision. The wise person searches out a matter guided by patience and self-discipline which restrain the impulse to speak out rashly. The wise person knows that, depending on the situation, words and deeds can hurt or heal, help or hinder. The wise person speaks at the right time so that he is understood, appreciated, and heeded. In this way, words of rebuke and criticism even when they produce guilt and shame find a welcome reception without provoking feelings of anger, bitterness, or revenge. If we study and implement the wisdom of God in Christ Jesus, we will be true peacemakers obedient to the Lord.