The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
The fool is the one whose way is right in his own eyes, trusting his own judgment and resisting correction and instruction, while he who hearkens to counsel is wise. This folly includes refusing to yield even when others are right, treating one's own views as infallible, and persisting against clear evidence. A person's own ways can look right in his own eyes when they are far from right, because strong will and self-confidence make his plans appear faultless and his judgment appear as the mind of God. Self-confidence and self-sufficiency in this self-trust can lead to ruin, so wisdom requires recognizing one's own weakness and errors.
Inherited and cultivated traits can become second nature, and must be guarded, closely examined, criticized, and modified in mind and heart and character until they resemble the pattern of Jesus Christ. Refusing light and rejecting reproof can come from unwillingness to have one's deeds exposed, following one's own sight and understanding instead of God's voice. Such a determined course brings danger of refusing to be taught and of resisting what is right. Thinking one's own ways are right leads to wanting one's own way, carrying out one's own ideas, and working alone rather than in heart union with others.
The wise person hearkens to counsel, being willing to accept counsel and to have his ideas and plans closely and critically examined. Wisdom means becoming less self-confident and self-sufficient, daily humbling the heart, learning meekness and humility and lowliness of heart, and being easy to be entreated rather than overbearing and exacting in association with others and in married life. Wisdom requires being transformed by the softening, subduing influence of the Spirit of God, unlearning self-will, and gaining tenderness and love for fellow workers and for souls, with more of the Spirit of Christ and less of self and of peculiarities of character that build walls. In labor, wisdom means learning to assimilate with others, to lift and to plan and to cooperate with them, accepting their ways in place of one's own, and no one whose way must control should labor alone or become the controlling power in any conference.
Applied to God's work, the verse warns against circumscribing the work with one's own mold, narrow ideas, and cheap plans that prove dearest in the end, belittling the work, exalting defects as virtues and retarding the work, weaving one's own ways and determined traits into God's work as God's ways, marring the cause and discouraging souls; self must be lost sight of in Jesus, set ways must not become a controlling power, and breadth must be put into calculations so the work stands in elevated, noble dignity with no human impress but the impress of the divine. God's warnings are still to be given whether people listen or refuse, and He remains willing to pardon those who turn to Him with penitence and faith.
The fool is the one whose way is right in his own eyes, trusting his own judgment and resisting correction and instruction, while he who hearkens to counsel is wise. This folly includes refusing to yield even when others are right, treating one's own views as infallible, and persisting against clear evidence. A person's own ways can look right in his own eyes when they are far from right, because strong will and self-confidence make his plans appear faultless and his judgment appear as the mind of God. Self-confidence and self-sufficiency in this self-trust can lead to ruin, so wisdom requires recognizing one's own weakness and errors.
Inherited and cultivated traits can become second nature, and must be guarded, closely examined, criticized, and modified in mind and heart and character until they resemble the pattern of Jesus Christ. Refusing light and rejecting reproof can come from unwillingness to have one's deeds exposed, following one's own sight and understanding instead of God's voice. Such a determined course brings danger of refusing to be taught and of resisting what is right. Thinking one's own ways are right leads to wanting one's own way, carrying out one's own ideas, and working alone rather than in heart union with others.
The wise person hearkens to counsel, being willing to accept counsel and to have his ideas and plans closely and critically examined. Wisdom means becoming less self-confident and self-sufficient, daily humbling the heart, learning meekness and humility and lowliness of heart, and being easy to be entreated rather than overbearing and exacting in association with others and in married life. Wisdom requires being transformed by the softening, subduing influence of the Spirit of God, unlearning self-will, and gaining tenderness and love for fellow workers and for souls, with more of the Spirit of Christ and less of self and of peculiarities of character that build walls. In labor, wisdom means learning to assimilate with others, to lift and to plan and to cooperate with them, accepting their ways in place of one's own, and no one whose way must control should labor alone or become the controlling power in any conference.
Applied to God's work, the verse warns against circumscribing the work with one's own mold, narrow ideas, and cheap plans that prove dearest in the end, belittling the work, exalting defects as virtues and retarding the work, weaving one's own ways and determined traits into God's work as God's ways, marring the cause and discouraging souls; self must be lost sight of in Jesus, set ways must not become a controlling power, and breadth must be put into calculations so the work stands in elevated, noble dignity with no human impress but the impress of the divine. God's warnings are still to be given whether people listen or refuse, and He remains willing to pardon those who turn to Him with penitence and faith.