Staying Positive is Not Always Staying Wise, Part 6 - Consequences - Proverbs 1:31

So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. Proverbs 1:31

We come to the close of this passage in Proverbs with two very sobering verses of warning.  These verses are not being used to issue innocuous threats, but to warn of very real consequences for rejecting the wisdom and the Word of God.  They were put here to help us see that a lifestyle that values its own wisdom and rejects God's is one that is filled with regret and destruction.

We are warned that if we choose to spurn God's Word - and this is in regard to the negative aspects of it - we will eat the fruit of our own ways.  Let me once again take just a moment to define what I mean by the negative messages of God's Word.  There are those who want nothing but positive, happy, you're OK - I'm OK messages from God's Word.  The problem with this view is that it completely ignores the fall of man and our inherent sinfulness and selfishness.  There is no way to gloss over these things - and unless they are confronted from time to time - we will sink into the mire that they create in us individually and corporately in our lives. 

What we are warned of is the danger of learning too late the fruit that will come from this way.  In Galatians chapter five we are told of fruit.  But before this fruit is introduced to us we are also introduced to the works or workings of the flesh. 

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. "

We see here that when we live in the flesh, which should be seen as embracing our natural state - rejecting God's Word and wisdom and instead choosing our own way, that the consequences of our choice are pretty disgusting.  These are the kind of things we see as the problems in our world.  They are also the natural consequences of rejecting the fear of God and living for ourselves instead.  What is described for us in verses 22-23 of Galatians chatper five is the fruit of the Spirit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are the consequences of embracing the Holy Spirit of God in our lives.  By the way, the Spirit is the One who teaches us God's Word - and will urge us to embrace God's wisdom and way. 

What I hope you see here is that there is fruit either way we go.  When we embrace the Spirit of God, the Word He teaches us, and the wisdom that comes with it - we experience wonderful fruit.  But if we embrace a rejection of God's wisdom - which also means we are rejecting His Word and His Spirit - there will be fruit corresponding to these choices.  That fruit is not good.

The other warning given to us here is that we will also be "satiated" with our own "devices."   The word "devices" here is "moesah" which means counsel and intrigue.  It refers to godless advice and counsel that will result in a wicked type of intrigue - one where we are seeking to escape the bad effects of following our own bad counsel.  Reality though, is that the judgments of God are inescapable.  When we choose moral paths there are moral consequences.  These cannot be outrun or negated.  What we are warned of in Proverbs is that we will be "satiated" with these consequences.  The word here means to be filled to the full - to be sated.  To help you grasp what this means - it refers to the feeling you get when you've had way too much to eat.  It is that sick feeling that you've eaten way too much and now you just sit their miserable.  The godless man has the unfortunate future of one day being sated with the moral conseqeunces of his own moral intrigue.  Having decided to test God to see if rejecting Him has consequences - he learns the hard way that every consequence God says will happen - just like He said it would happen.

A wise man knows that his choices have consequences.  He knows that as he does things, says things, and lives a certain way - it is like he is planting a crop for his future.  If he plants properly (honoring God's wisdom) the harvest he will gather will be a pleasant one.  But if he chooses the reject the wisdom of God - he is only making sure that he will be satiated with the consequences of his foolish choices.