Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
Summary: Solomon was a smart guy. Some say he was so smart that he knew enough to know he was not smarter than God.
Solomon is the wisest person to have ever lived. From the words he left for us to read, and what was written about him, he appears to have lived by this passage. He did not fall into the trap of being wise in his own eyes.
Why do I call that a trap?
The more modern version of today’s passage is “Don’t pat yourself on the back.” It is a warning against narcism.
Interestingly, the second Great Commandment is couched in terms of loving others “as we love ourselves.” (Matthew 22: 37-40) God created us in such a way that we are inclined to take care of our own needs. This is what is meant by “love ourselves.” Remember, love is one of those words with many meanings.
The narcissist loves themselves not with a godly love (agapé) or a brotherly love (philia). Instead, they “fall in love” with themselves (eros) in a way that takes being self-centered to a whole new level.
The danger of being “wise in your own eyes” and its cousin, narcissism, can be seen in the artist who falls in love with his own art.
Suppose I create a piece of art like this:
And then suppose that I stand there looking at it and I decide it is the most beautiful piece of art that has ever existed. What have I done?
Unconsciously, I have lost sight of every other opinion on the planet besides mine. Without realizing it, I have placed myself up on a pedestal above everyone else. My opinion about my art is all that matters.
Being the only one that matters is a very lonely place!
This kind of hubris takes some people in. Many artists have learned to cash in on their artistic nature, but the successful ones know what they are doing. That kind of art is a business and the hubris they display is a business technique. Those who are actually in love with their own art can never bear to part with it.
So what is the cure for being “wise in your own eyes”? Solomon gives us the answer to that, too. He says, “fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Fearing the Lord requires us to admit that there is a higher authority than ourselves. If we fear the Lord and honor his word, we avoid the artist’s trap. If we love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22: 39) then we have to place their opinions on an equal footing with our own.
Shunning evil brings us to the same place. “Evil” as used in this passage, hurts our neighbor or causes pain. By extension, anything we do to cause God pain is evil, too. If we fear the Lord, we want to do what is good in his sight. If we love our neighbor, we cannot put ourselves above them because that is hurtful.
Humility is a hard pill to swallow for the proud, but those who fear the Lord and shun evil are already humble. They have no need for the pill.
Application: Ask your neighbor (friend, boss, coworker, spouse, employee) if they feel that you care about them.
Food for Thought: How do you tell if you are being “wise in your own eyes” and what can you do about it?
I tend to think that at some level all of us are narcissists. Our world tends to be narrow and are self interests can easily rule the day. I know that is true for me.
I think what we can do about it is to follow the example of Christ. If anyone had good reason to be wise in their own eyes it is Him. Yet what did He do? Philippians 2: 3 – 11 is an example for us. Verses 2 – 4 tell us what to do and verses 5 – 8 give us our model. Verses 9 – 11 remind us that God is the One who exalts a person. In Jesus’ case that was a high exaltation indeed.
Rich,
I love how you point us back into Scripture. The Philippians reference is a fantastic response to today’s prompt. Thank you!
02-06-2022, Proverbs 3:7, How do you tell if you are being “wise in your own eyes” and what can you do about it?
God is the source of all wisdom: For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Daniel writes, let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
Proverbs 2:6, Daniel 2:20
But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1 Corinthians 1:30, Colossians 1:9-12
When we have the wise “mindset” of Christ, the members of our earthly body are dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, because the fleshly mind has died, and no longer rules our body.
Colossians 3:2, 3:5
We have been left on earth to glorify God through the power of Jesus Christ in us. We should prayerfully study the 4 Gospels and ask ourselves, do our lives reflect Christ or are we allowing our old self to control our actions? We should examine our motives as we walk among others and ask who are we trying to please? Any conduct which seeks the approval of men over God is to be turned from in repentance.
Ron,
Your advice sounds so easy! “Do our lives reflect Christ?” Yet it is a lifetime long challenge. Thank you for your words today and sharing your insights. Your lifelong journey with our Savior inspires the rest of us.