Being “simple” can override the best intelligence and education.
It’s been my habit for many years to read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This week in Proverbs 7:7 I read, “I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.” Another translation says, “void of understanding.” I have read this hundreds of times and have always assumed that “simple” actually meant a guy who just wasn’t too bright – maybe a little slow – you know, one wheel in the sand. However, this morning I was sitting out on our porch and picked up Joanne’s study Bible with this note: “The person who has no purpose in life is simple-minded. Without aim or direction, an empty life is unstable, vulnerable to many temptations.” (Life Application Study Bible)
Wow – all of a sudden I see that very differently. “No purpose, no direction.” This is not a function of IQ or education. This can be true of a Rhodes scholar or the valedictorian of your graduating class. And what happens to a person with no purpose? He/she is vulnerable to whatever circumstances come along. Get a job offer working in the salt mine – sure, why not. It’s a job. Chance to go back to law school, of course. Cousin Vinny was a mobster, why don’t you be one too. Okay!
Zig Ziglar talks about being a “wandering generality.” Athletes don’t win races, CEOs don’t gain positions, ladies aren’t great mothers, and scientists don’t create new formulas without having specific goals defined in advance. Having a specific plan is like harnessing the power of Niagara Falls to create a massive amount of electricity.
“Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk.” — J.C. Penney
Don’t be a 45-yr-old college educated “simple” person. Finding your purpose and calling are critical and must precede any reasonable life choices. Clear goals in each area of your life keeps you focused on the positive goal.
Incidentally, the “simple” young man in the Proverbs verse goes on to spend the night with a very disreputable lady. He “followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose.” Don’t let unclear direction open you to a similarly disastrous fate!
What are you doing today that proves you are not a “simple” person?
