Proverbs, chapter 14

9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright. – Proverbs 14:9

I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. I am probably going to continue making mistakes because I am human. I cannot attain perfection no matter how hard I try. What I won’t do, however, is mock people who seek to makes amends for our mistakes. Those that seek forgiveness see that it is a way to gain reconciliation. They try to make a mends for what they have done wrong, so we should commend them on that. That ties into the next verse I want to focus on:

15 A simple man believes anything,
but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. – Proverbs 14:15

Part of the reason we find ourselves mired in sin is a lack of forethought. If we don’t plan ahead there really is no point in living. Our lives are then directionless and we are not living our lives with the purpose God has for us. Planning is important, but we cannot go the other way and become so focused on the planning that we forget to live. We must remember what we believe, and more importantly why we believe it, as my father told me dozens of times while growing up. If we don’t know why we believe in something the world will tell us what to believe in.

29 A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man displays folly. – Proverbs 14:29

If you want to talk about lessons I need to learn, this is one of them. The bad thing is that I know the last five years have been meant to teach me patience, but instead I have let bitterness creep in until recently. I have always been a bit of a hothead. When you through frustration and bitterness on top of that it can make for a volatile situation. This is why I am actively seeking God’s patience and wisdom, because I know that my way is not the way to go.