“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.” Proverbs 19:2 (NLT)
When my boys were little and would get a new toy, they would always be in a hurry to open it. If the toy required assembly, they would just hurry and try to get it together. I would tell them to slow down and let me help them. But they would be in a hurry and felt they could do it themselves. Sometimes it worked out fine for them. But other times the toy would not work properly because they hurried and didn’t put it together correctly. They were to young to read directions, besides reading directions would take extra time, so they just went for it! Their attempt at assembly would fail and it would leave them waiting longer for their dad or I to fix it. And there were times that their haste made it impossible to fix.
The boy’s excitement for the new toy was always understandable and as their mom I loved watching and listening to them experience new things. However, it was their lack of knowledge, and their hurried, “I want it right away,”, mindset that would sometimes cause issues. They were young and this was expected. As parents we tried to use these moments as learning experiences, slow down and be informed. I hope they got it!
I hope I get it! It can be so easy to get excited about something and just want to go full steam ahead! The plan or idea I may have is so amazing and I just know it’s from the Lord, so why not just go for it. Moving quickly into something can often go haywire. I must slow down to hear from the Lord, to gain wisdom and to plan according to His leading. My hurriedness can and will lead to mistakes. And when your headed to something exciting, who wants to deal with mistakes?
I pray today for wisdom to pause and listen in the moment. I pray my enthusiasm will first lead me to seek out wisdom, knowledge and the leading of the Holy Spirit. I pray for a “Red Flag” signal to alert me in hurried moments, so that I will pause and evaluate why I’m hurried. Hopefully then leaving me with the opportunity to slow down and get it right! Amen.
What is God speaking to you today in Proverbs 19? Share in the comments below or join the conversation on our Journaling Through Proverbs Facebook Group.