The Wisest Life?

(Proverbs 30:18–33)

Dear friends, how should we live?
When I pray for my son Dylan, I pray that he becomes a faithful and sincere Christian, just as his name signifies. As I continued to pray in that way, a few years ago something happened with my second daughter, Yeri, and I began to pray and ask God for wisdom for her. That led me to begin asking for wisdom not only for Yeri but also for my youngest, Yaeun, and for my eldest, Dylan.

One of the big reasons is likely that I myself lack wisdom. That’s why I hold on to the promise in James 1:5:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
I’ve been praying for myself based on that promise.

God has been helping me realize how desperately I need His wisdom in order to live in this sinful world. That’s why I now pray not only for myself but also for my three children—asking God to grant them wisdom.
At the same time, when I think of how Solomon, in the end of his life, committed the great sin of idolatry, I realize how important it is for my children and me to live faithfully and wisely on this earth until the day the Lord calls us home.

Then what exactly is a wise life?

In verse 24 of today’s text, Proverbs 30, the Bible speaks of four small but exceedingly wise creatures on earth.
Based on this passage, I would like to reflect on five lessons under the title “The Wisest Life”, focusing on Proverbs 30:18–33, and consider what kind of life the Bible teaches as truly wise.

First: The wisest life is one that abandons hypocrisy.

Look at Proverbs 30:18:
"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand."

What should we do when the things we desire clash with what the Bible says?
For example, what we desire may be to act according to our sinful, old nature—but the Bible says that since we are new creations in Christ Jesus, we must no longer live by our old instincts but instead obey God’s Word.
When these two conflict, what should we do?

All of us would likely say, “We must obey God’s Word.”
No one would boldly say, “We should disobey the Word and follow our sinful instincts.”
The problem is that we often do not live according to what we say or believe.

God’s Word inevitably collides with the excessive greed within us.
At such times, even though our conscience tells us not to act on our desires, we often have already made up our minds to do so.
In my case, I find that I do not live according to what I preach and believe.
In the end, this exposes my own hypocrisy.
And yet, I sometimes still stand before the congregation and preach, “By God’s grace...”
My lips say “God’s grace,” but deep in my heart, I am filled with a sense of “my own merit.”
As a result, I am turning God’s precious grace into cheap grace.
I am not revealing the glory of God—but rather, the glory of myself as a man.

Friends, hypocrisy is when the outside and the inside don’t match.
It is when our words and actions inside the church are different from those outside of it.
Inside the church, we are careful with our speech and behavior, trying to appear right and exemplary.
But outside the church, many of us speak and act recklessly, no different from the people of the world.
Hypocrisy is also when our words and our hearts are not in sync.

For example, we may hate someone in our hearts but speak kindly to them on the outside.
That is hypocrisy.
A hypocrite harbors evil in their heart while using smooth words with their lips, pretending to love the person with passionate and affectionate speech (Proverbs 26:23).

We’ve already studied Proverbs 26:23–28 and learned six ways in which a hypocrite’s lips and heart are different:

1. A hypocrite’s lips are gentle, but their heart is wicked (v.23).

2. They conceal hatred with flattery (v.24).

3. Even if their speech sounds good, their heart is filled with vile thoughts (v.25).

4. They may hide their hatred, but their wickedness will eventually be revealed before the congregation (v.26).

5. A hypocrite digs a pit, but they fall into it themselves (v.27).

6. A hypocrite lies (v.28).

In Proverbs 30:18, the writer of Proverbs says:
"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand," and then describes four mysterious paths:

1. The way of an eagle in the sky,

2. the way of a snake on a rock,

3. the way of a ship on the sea,

4. and the way of a man with a young woman (vv.19–20).

Among these, the central focus is on the way of the adulterous woman.
Look at verse 20:
"This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’"
[Modern Translation: “This is how an adulterous woman behaves: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’”]

The writer is pointing out that she tries to conceal her sin.
Just as the path of an eagle in the sky is invisible, or a snake’s trail on a rock, or a ship’s wake in the sea, and the act of a man with a woman leaves no visible trace—so too the adulteress seeks to hide the trail of her sin with her lips, saying:
“I have done nothing wrong.”

In Proverbs 7:10, we see a crafty woman dressed like a prostitute meeting a young, foolish man.
The reason the Bible calls her “crafty” is that she has a hidden motive in approaching him.
In other words, this cunning woman hides her true intentions from the naive young man.

In fact, the literal Hebrew meaning of “crafty” here is “to conceal” or “hidden” (MacArthur).

What is her hidden intention?
Look at Proverbs 23:27–28:
"For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulterous woman is a narrow well. Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men."

Her hidden purpose in welcoming a foolish man, disguised in the clothing of a harlot, is to lay a trap—causing him to become unfaithful in his married life.
Her hidden aim is to lead many married men to break the covenant they made when they married (Park Yoon-sun).

In this way, even though the adulteress commits evil, she says:
“I have done nothing wrong.” (Proverbs 30:20)
This shows her hypocrisy.

And the lesson the writer of Proverbs wants to give us in this passage is this:

The wisest person is the one who rejects and continues to reject hypocrisy.
(See also: 1 Peter 2:1, Modern Translation)

How can we cast off our hypocrisy again and again?

First, in order to do so, we must recognize our own hypocrisy.
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, will expose and rebuke our hypocritical tendencies.

Look at Matthew 7:5:
“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
[Modern version: “You hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye. Then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”]

When the Holy Spirit rebukes us and reveals our hypocrisy through God's Word, we must acknowledge it before God, confess our sins, and repent, trusting in the precious blood of Jesus on the cross.

Even though we may appear righteous on the outside before others, we must confess and repent that inside, we are full of hypocrisy and sin (Matthew 23:28).
We must strive to live a life in which our outward actions match our inner heart.
We must become genuine Christians.
We must cast off all falsehood and pursue a life where our words and actions are in harmony.

We must not be like the Pharisees, who cleaned the outside of the cup and dish but were full of greed and self-indulgence on the inside (Matthew 23:25, modern version).

Finally, we must ask God for heavenly wisdom, because heavenly wisdom has no hypocrisy.
Look at James 3:17:
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere [without hypocrisy].” (modern version)

Our God is a God of order.

Our God is never a God of disorder.

For example, if we look at the created order that the Creator God established, it is that a man and a woman marry and become one in the Lord.
However, people have disregarded this created order and, driven by the lust of their hearts (Romans 1:24–25) and shameful desires, they exchange natural relations for unnatural ones, with men committing shameful acts with men, and women with women (verses 26–27).
This is not fitting in the eyes of God—it is described as an “evil act” in the modern translation (v. 28).

In 1 Corinthians 14:40, the Bible says:
“But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
We must obey this Word.

In doing so, we must first maintain order within our households.
Each family member must faithfully and humbly fulfill their biblical responsibilities.

For example, the wife’s responsibility in the family is to submit to her husband.
The Bible teaches that this is fitting and proper in the eyes of the Lord (Colossians 3:18).
This is her duty.
According to the divine structure of the home established by the Lord, it is fitting for the wife to submit to her husband as unto the Lord.

Also, the wife must recognize and respect the divine authority that God has given to the husband as the head of the household.
Today, the authority of husbands is often disregarded in the home.
There are many reasons for this, but one key reason is that the wife does not respect her husband's authority.
As a result, children imitate their mothers and likewise disregard the father’s authority as head of the home.
This is a truly serious issue.

God has clearly given divine authority to the man as the head of the household, but if the wife does not submit to that authority (Ephesians 5:22), then his authority cannot be properly established in the home.
The Bible clearly commands:
“The wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33)
However, when a wife refuses to respect and honor her husband, his authority is ignored in the home, and as a result, the order of the family is broken.

This must not continue.

In order to establish order in the home, wives and children must recognize and respect the authority that God has given to the husband/father as head of the household.
Wives must obey God’s Word by respecting and honoring their husbands.
Then, children who witness this will also respect and obey their fathers.

Furthermore, fathers must not abuse the authority that God has given them.
Because if they do, they will never win the hearts of their children.
Instead, they must wisely use the authority given by God to preserve peace and order in the home.

The same applies to the church.
We must maintain order within the church.
To do this, we must not think more highly of ourselves than we ought, which leads to excessive speech and action.

We must not treat the roles and positions given to us lightly, or even worse, consider them insignificant.
As ministers or officers of the church, we must not form factions, like Korah of the Levites in Numbers 16:9, who disrupted the peace and order of the church as an organization.

God is never a God of disorder.
Those who break peace and order in the church fail to restrain their arrogant words and actions.

We must not envy or covet roles that appear greater or more prestigious in the eyes of people, and we must not try to obtain church leadership by human means or factions, attempting to exalt ourselves before the congregation.

We must not recklessly slander or judge others, or spread malicious rumors to create factions within the church.
Such actions are clearly beyond what is appropriate and must not be done.

As those who have been given church responsibilities, we must never exalt ourselves before the congregation.
We must refrain from overstepping in both word and action.
We must regard our given role as a great grace from God.
We must not only consider it grace at the beginning, but the more we serve, the more deeply we must understand God's grace.

Therefore, we must become more and more humble.
We must humbly fulfill the responsibilities given to us.
There is no need to compare ourselves to other ministers.
Simply serve with a grateful and joyful heart, humbly fulfilling the role entrusted to us.

Secondly: The wisest life is a life lived in order.

Let’s look at today’s text, Proverbs 30:21–23:
“Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food, a contemptible woman who gets married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.”
[Modern translation: “There are three things the earth cannot tolerate, four that it cannot endure: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is well fed, a woman unloved who gets married, and a maid who takes the place of her mistress.”]

In Proverbs 30:21–23, the writer presents four conditions where order has been overturned (according to scholar Park Yoon-sun):

1. A servant becomes king,

2. A fool is full of food (v. 22),

3. A despised woman gets married, and

4. A maid replaces her mistress (v. 23).

What these four situations have in common is that unqualified individuals are elevated to high positions (Park Yoon-sun).

Friends, does a servant deserve to become a king?

Of course not, right?
However, as stated in today’s passage, verses 21–22, a servant becoming king is something that “shakes the earth and it cannot bear up” [“something the world cannot tolerate” (Contemporary Version of the Bible)].

Then what about “a fool who is full of food” (v. 22)?
This refers to a fool becoming rich (according to Park Yoon-sun).
Is this something the world can tolerate? Certainly not.
How can a fool become wealthy?

And what about “a hated woman who gets married” (v. 23)?
How can a woman who is disliked get married?
Isn’t it difficult to accept that someone who is unworthy of marriage ends up marrying?

“A maidservant who displaces her mistress” (v. 23), or in other words, “a female servant who takes her mistress’s place” (v. 23, Contemporary Bible), isn’t that also something hard to accept?

In all four of these cases, we see unqualified individuals being elevated to high positions, which points to a state where order is turned upside down (Park Yoon-sun).

So what will happen to the home, the church, society, and the world when such disorder takes place?

Especially, if we fail to realize that we are unqualified, and begin to say things like:

• “Though I am a servant, I deserve to be king,”

• “Though I am a fool, I deserve to be rich,”

• “Though I am hated, I deserve to be married,”

• “Though I am a maid, I deserve to take my mistress’s place,”
  —isn’t this revealing nothing but our pride?

If such pride is in our hearts, then the homes, churches, and communities we belong to cannot help but fall into disorder.

Friends, we must never tolerate pride.
We must be on guard against arrogance in our hearts.
We must not act or speak beyond our rightful place, disrupting the order in our homes and churches.

Rather, we must preserve the order in both family and church.
To do this, we all must be humble.
We must have the humble heart of Jesus.

In particular, we must always remember that Jesus came down to this lowly earth to save us—those who deserved to die eternally—and was nailed to the cursed tree of the cross, and because of Him, you and I have been saved and become children of God.

We must never forget that we, who were utterly unworthy to be called God’s children, received the right to become His children through faith in Jesus Christ.
This is entirely by the grace of God.

This is a status elevation far greater than a servant becoming king, a fool becoming rich, a hated woman getting married, or a maid taking her mistress’s place.

Therefore, as we come to better understand and recognize God’s grace, we must, by the power of that grace, obey His Word and preserve the order of our homes and churches.

By doing so, may you and I live the wisest life in God’s eyes.

Third, the wisest life is one that is diligent like the ant,

sees danger and secures its dwelling like the hyrax,
moves in unity like the locust,
and acts swiftly and wisely like the lizard.

What have you been learning recently?
What do you think God is trying to teach you?

I re-read a column by Pastor Kang Jun-min titled “Wisdom Learned in the Storm”, and I would like to share with you two key takeaways:

First, living is learning.
A disciple of Jesus is a learner, and must long to learn.
Also, we need wisdom in learning.
Only by learning properly can we grow properly.
That’s why we need to learn how to learn well.
If we learn how to learn well, it will benefit us for a lifetime.

Second, learning is power.

“Learning is the ability to grow even in the midst of a storm.
We sometimes face storms.
Sometimes we pass through wilderness.
Sometimes we enter the furnace of affliction.
Of course, life is not only suffering.
But hardship is unavoidable.
The ability to overcome life’s difficulties is the power of learning.
If we live with a learning attitude, every experience in life becomes a learning opportunity.
The storm is a school.
Suffering is a teacher.” — (Kang Jun-min)

Friends, when it comes to learning, we can even learn from animals.

I re-read an article I saw in Health Chosun about two years ago.
The title was:
“Five Healthy Habits to Learn from Chickens” (Online article):

1. Sleep early, wake early.
   Chickens begin their activity around 4 to 5 a.m., just before dawn, by crowing loudly.
   At night, however, they barely move.

2. They care deeply for their young.
   Chickens are known for their strong maternal instinct.
   To keep their eggs warm, they pluck feathers from their chest, and for about 20 days of incubation, they remain still regardless of the cold or heat, and barely eat.

3. They eat a balanced diet.
   Chickens are omnivores and do not pick and choose their food.
   Likewise, humans must also eat a well-balanced diet.

4. They move around diligently.
   Chickens are constantly in motion.
   Regular exercise is an essential part of physical health.

5. They drink a lot of water.
   You’ve probably seen a chicken drink water and look up at the sky.
   Chickens drink frequently and in large amounts.
   Water makes up about 70% of the human body, making it a key component of our physical health.

In today’s passage, Proverbs 30:24–28, the writer of Proverbs says:

“Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
Hyraxes are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
Locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
A lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.”

These four types of creatures, though small and weak, live well by the instinctive wisdom God has given them (Park Yoon-sun).

(1) Let us consider the ant.

What should we learn from the ant?
Let us look at Proverbs 6:6:

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.”

What wisdom are we to learn from the ant?
There are at least two lessons (according to Dr. Park Yoon-sun):

(a) The ant works diligently and cooperatively without needing supervision.

Let us look at Proverbs 6:7:

“It has no commander, no overseer or ruler…”

What comes to mind when you think of an ant?
I read several articles online to learn more about ants and found some fascinating facts. Let me share three of them:

(i) Ants are known to be very thoughtful toward one another.

When we think of ants, we usually think of the queen ant and worker ants, but there are also “scout ants” or “patrolling ants.”
Typically, ants send out a scout to search for food.
Once the scout finds food, it leads inexperienced ants slowly and side by side (parallel walking) to the food source it has discovered.
The follower ant learns from this guide ant.
If the follower is slow, the guide also slows down.
Once the trailing ant catches up, the guide resumes a faster pace.
Both the guide and follower ants are said to act very thoughtfully.

(ii) Ants help one another.

We can see this through their method of communication.
Ants communicate through pheromones—chemical signals used for communication among members of the same species.
Compared to other insects in the hymenoptera order, ants have much more developed chemical signaling.
Like other insects, they use their long, slender, movable antennae to detect odors.
Each pair of antennae can detect the strength and direction of smells.
Since most ants live on the ground, they leave pheromone trails so others can follow.
Among species that scout in groups, the scout ant marks a trail from the food source back to the nest.
Other ants follow this trail, and each time they return carrying food, they strengthen the scent trail.
When the food source runs out, the returning ants signal this, and the scent gradually fades.
This behavior helps ants adapt to environmental changes.
For example, if a scent trail is blocked by an obstacle, the scout ant deviates and finds a new path.
Once it discovers a new route, it marks the shortcut with pheromones on its way back.
Other ants are drawn to the better path, strengthening the new trail until they eventually find the optimal route.

(iii) Ants divide their tasks based on size.

When we look at how some ants “cultivate food,” we find that although most ants are omnivorous scavengers that feed on dead organisms, some species have developed specialized methods of nourishment.
These are known as leafcutter ants, and they cultivate fungi inside their nests.
They continually collect leaves, bring them back to the colony, cut them into small pieces, and place them in fungus gardens.
Worker ants are assigned tasks based on their size:

• The largest ants cut the stems,

• The smaller ants chew the leaves,

• The tiniest ants care for the fungus.

(b) Ants prepare in advance for the future.

Look at Proverbs 6:8:

“It stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”
Also, Proverbs 30:25:
“Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.”

You know the famous Aesop’s fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” right?
In that story, while the ants are busily working during the summer, the grasshopper sings and mocks the ants, saying:

“Hey ants, are you crazy, preparing for winter during the summer?”

Despite the mockery, the ants work hard under the scorching summer sun to prepare for the cold winter.
But the grasshopper, who spent his time singing rather than working, ends up with no food in winter and has to beg.
When we read this story as children, we learned that we should be like the ant, not like the grasshopper.
We were taught that we must live diligently and faithfully, not lazily like the grasshopper.

But now, looking back as adults, we learn more than just the lesson of diligence.
We now see the wisdom of preparing for the future.
In Proverbs 6:8, the Bible urges those less wise than ants to go and learn the wisdom of preparing in advance.
And again, in Proverbs 30:25, the ants are described as those that “prepare their food in the summer,” that is, they store up their provisions ahead of time.

Why do ants prepare food in the summer?
According to Dr. Park Yoon-sun, in the region of Palestine, summer is the season for harvest.
Therefore, it is during this time that ants gather food in preparation for the winter (Park Yoon-sun).

(2) Let us consider the hyrax.

Just as we learn diligence and preparation from the ant—who prepares food during the summer—we are to learn from the hyrax (translated as “badger” or “rock badger” in some modern versions) the wisdom of foreseeing danger and securing a safe dwelling.

Let us look at Proverbs 30:26:

“Hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags.”
(Modern translations say: “Though they are weak, they make their homes in the rocky cliffs.”)

The hyrax is a small, timid, and weak animal, similar to a mountain rabbit (according to online sources).
However, it is said to be extremely wise (according to The Pulpit Commentary).
So, in order to protect itself from larger predators, the hyrax foresees danger and builds its home among the rocks (Park Yoon-sun).

An interesting fact is that hyraxes live in groups among the cracks of rocks, and they appoint lookouts to keep watch.
When the sentinel makes a squeaking sound and blinks its eyes, it sends a signal, and all of them retreat into the cave (according to online sources).

Look at Psalm 104:18:

“The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.”
(Modern translation: “The high mountains are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for the hyrax.”)

The “hyrax” mentioned here is the same animal referred to in Proverbs 30:26.
So, when we think of the hyrax, we think of a refuge built among the rocks.

When I think of a “refuge,” I am reminded of our Lord.
Why? Because only the Lord is our strong refuge (see Psalms 14:6; 46:1, 7, 11; 59:16; 61:3; 62:8; 91:2; 142:5).
He is the rock of our strength (Psalm 62:7) and also the rock of our salvation (2 Samuel 22:47).
Christ is our Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).

(3) Let’s think about the locust.

What wisdom should we learn from the locust? Consider Proverbs 30:27:

"Locusts have no king, yet they go out all of them by bands."

When you hear “locust,” what comes to mind from Scripture?
I immediately think of the eighth plague in Egypt (Exodus 10:1–20), when a massive swarm of locusts covered the entire land. Pharaoh refused to humble himself and release Israel (v. 3), so God sent the locusts (v. 4–5), resulting in devastating damage across Egypt (vv. 14–15).

In Proverbs 30:27, the author references the locust as one of the “small but exceedingly wise” creatures, noting: "They have no king, yet march in formation." Why?

Because, in Scripture (Exodus 10; Joel 1:4), locusts have been used as instruments of God’s judgment. Interestingly, though they lack a leader, they move with military-like precision and alignment. As J. Vernon McGee's commentary observes, they “move in a system as though under clear command and strict discipline.”
The proverb suggests that we, too, should be united, like the locusts (Park Yoon-sun).

Applied to our families and churches: we should be united in spirit. Despite our differences, we are one household in Jesus, with our hearts and strength united.
If the leaderless locusts achieve such cohesion, how much more united should families and churches be—especially since they do have leaders?
This, I believe, exemplifies the wisest life in God’s perspective.

(4) Let’s think about the lizard.

Proverbs 30:28 says:

"The lizard you may take in your hands, yet it lives in kings’ palaces."
[Modern version: “A lizard, barely caught by hand, yet it lives in royal courts.”]

Most of us have seen a lizard. I’ve seen many just outside my house. But the most memorable was in a hotel room while visiting a medical missionary elder in the Philippines—there was a small lizard on the ceiling. As that verse notes, it was small enough to catch, but I didn’t even try. Maybe because it eats insects—but also, I just assumed I couldn’t catch it.

Yet, the text says it lives among kings—in palaces!
Have you heard any striking characteristics of the lizard?
When faced with danger, it lures attackers by wagging its tail, then detaches its tail and escapes while the predator is confused (internet sources).

The lesson? The wisest life behaves swiftly and cleverly, like the lizard (Park Yoon-sun).

Who in the Bible acted swiftly and cleverly?
David, in 1 Samuel 17:48–49: when Goliath moved closer, David ran toward his opposing line, pulled out a stone from his pouch, and slung it—killing Goliath with that one shot.

And Jesus said, in Matthew 10:16:

"See, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves."

Here, the serpent symbolizes wisdom. Jesus emphasized that wisdom involves cautious, discerning evasion of danger and skilled judgment.
We must be wise as serpents because the world is full of false prophets who appear harmless but are predatory (Matt. 7:15; 10:16).
As we proclaim the gospel and live worthy lives, we must act and speak with wisdom.

(1) A leader must have the majesty and unyielding strength like “a lion, the strongest among beasts, who does not back down before any beast” (verse 30) (Park Yoon-sun).
This means that a leader must have strength that does not retreat amid dignity and confidence.
A good biblical example of this is David, who stood boldly and confidently before the Philistine general Goliath and spoke courageously to him.
See 1 Samuel 17:45-47:
“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.’”

(2) A leader must have a clear sense of purpose and take the lead proactively, like a hunting dog.
As we know, a hunting dog helps the hunter by going ahead and tracking the prey (internet).
Likewise, a leader must have a clear goal and take initiative to lead the way.
When this happens, followers can also follow the leader with the same goal in mind.
A good example of this is the Apostle Paul.
See Philippians 3:13-14:
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

(3) A leader must act as a protector at the front, like a male goat (Park Yoon-sun).
In the history of Israel, the story of sheep and goats is familiar and interesting, and it is said that shepherding with only sheep and no goats is impossible.
Thus, it is common to raise one goat for every three sheep (1 Samuel 25:2).
There are two reasons for raising goats mixed with sheep:
(a) The first reason is to protect the pasture.
The wilderness is a harsh environment with little rain, so there is not enough grass for the sheep to graze.
Therefore, the pasture needs protection. Goats gently nibble only the leaves of fully grown grass, while sheep do not distinguish between young and mature leaves and graze on both.
Also, unlike goats that nibble only the leaves gently, sheep eat the whole stalk.
However, when a few goats are mixed with sheep, the sheep quietly follow along.
(b) The second reason is that goats play a necessary role when passing through rough paths and high rocks in the wilderness.
The path to the green pasture in the Judean wilderness is not a “rosy path.” Sometimes one must climb high rocks or descend steep slopes. After rain, quiet water forms in the valleys, so one inevitably must go down steep slopes.
Since sheep are timid animals, the goats act as the “vanguard.”
In this way, a leader, in some respects, must act as the vanguard for those who follow him.
In other words, a leader must stand boldly at the front and lead those who follow.
And a leader has the responsibility to protect them.

We need wise leaders.
The life of a wise leader shows majesty and confidence with dignity and unyielding strength.
Also, a wise leader takes initiative, identifies problems, and plays the role of protector at the front.
Let us pray for our leaders so that they may become such leaders.

Lastly, the fifth point: The wisest life is to close your mouth and stop when you must stop.

To build each other up in family or church, we must be patient (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 13).
We must especially be able to control our anger toward others when it arises.
The wise restrain their anger, but fools reveal all their wrath (Proverbs 29:11).
When one reveals all their anger, quarrels inevitably arise (verse 22).
Therefore, when anger arises in our hearts, we must first keep silent.
The reason is that if we do not keep silent, we will say harsh words to others in anger (Proverbs 15:1).
As a result, those who hear harsh words are hurt and may themselves become angry and respond harshly.
This leads to escalating disputes.
In Job 21:5, Job says to his friends who came to comfort him:
“Look at me, you will be mocked; I might silence my lips.”
Job told his friends to be shocked at him and to cover their mouths because although they came to comfort him in his suffering, they did not comfort him at all but rather criticized him (verse 3).
Therefore, Job called them “all miserable comforters” (Job 16:2) or “those who torment with comfort” (Korean Revised Version).
See Job 16:2: “… You have come to comfort me, but instead, you come to trouble me!” (Contemporary Bible).
Since Job was suffering and received no comfort from his friends but only trouble, he told them to cover their mouths.
Later, in Job 40:4, Job covers his own mouth with his hand.
This is because God said to Job, “Will you argue with the Almighty? Tell me, if you have understanding” (verse 2, Contemporary Bible).
So Job said, “I am insignificant; what can I say to you? I only put my hand over my mouth” (verse 4, Contemporary Bible).
Thinking about Job covering his mouth before God brings to mind Ecclesiastes 5:2:
“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”
We should follow this and not speak carelessly or hastily before God.

Look at today’s passage Proverbs 30:32-33:
“If you have been foolish, exalting yourself or devising evil, put your hand over your mouth. For milk makes curds, and pressing the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes strife.”
(Contemporary Bible: “If you have been foolish and arrogant or have planned evil, put your hand over your mouth. Just as churning milk produces butter and twisting the nose causes bleeding, so provoking anger leads to quarrels.”)
Why does the Bible say “put your hand over your mouth”?
Because we are foolish.
In other words, the Bible tells us that when we are foolish, we should put our hands over our mouths.
And the Bible explains two ways we show foolishness:
First, by exalting or being arrogant toward ourselves, and
Second, by devising or planning evil (verse 32).
So the Bible tells us that if we foolishly exalt ourselves or are arrogant, we should stop by putting our hands over our mouths.
Also, if we foolishly plan evil, we should stop by putting our hands over our mouths.
In short, “put your hand over your mouth” means to stop doing it (The Nelson Study Bible).
That is, the Bible says if we foolishly exalt ourselves or plan evil, we should stop it.

When we act arrogantly, we must stop our mouths with our own hands. The reason is that if we do not stop our mouths, we will speak proud words. When we speak arrogantly, we will give glory to ourselves rather than to God. Therefore, when we act arrogantly, we must stop our mouths with our hands. Also, if we have planned evil deeds, we must stop those plans. If we do not stop those plans, we will surely commit those evil deeds and sin against God. We must not act arrogantly. We must not behave as if we are better than others. If we act arrogantly or boast within the church, our pride can break the unity of the church and cause disputes and conflicts.

A good example of this is the wilderness church (Acts 7:38). The leaders of that wilderness church were Moses and Aaron, but Korah the Levite, along with Dathan, Abiram, and On, descendants of Reuben, rebelled (Numbers 16:1) and, together with 250 prominent leaders of the Israelite assembly, rose up against Moses and Aaron (verse 2). They said to Moses and Aaron: “You have gone too far! The entire congregation is holy, and the Lord is among them; so why do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” (verse 3). When Moses heard this, he first fell down and pleaded with God (verse 4). Then he rebuked Korah and all his followers: "Levites, you have gone too far!" (verse 7).

How do we know that Korah and his followers went too far? Because they despised God's grace. They lightly regarded the precious office God had set apart for them—to serve the Israelites at the tabernacle (verse 9). So they sought the priesthood like Aaron. Because they despised and lightly regarded the office God had given them, they thought too highly of themselves (pride in exalting themselves) and spoke arrogantly and acted excessively toward Moses and Aaron. They did this because their hearts were filled with vanity. They rebelled against Moses and Aaron, the leaders of the wilderness church, because they sought vain glory.

The Bible says they not only rebelled against Moses and Aaron but also against God, who had appointed them to lead the wilderness church (verse 11). Likewise, if vanity fills our hearts, we may think too highly of ourselves and try to exalt ourselves. In fact, if we act arrogantly within the church, such excessive words and actions can anger other brothers and sisters, causing conflicts and quarrels (Proverbs 30:33). Ultimately, when we act arrogantly in the church, we break the peace and unity of the church. Therefore, we must not foolishly act arrogantly or boastfully.

Also, we must not plot evil deeds. In other words, we must not plan evil (verse 32). You might think, “Would we really plan evil?” But even David, who was a man after God’s own heart, committed evil in God’s sight, so are we not at greater risk? Why did David commit evil in God’s sight? The Bible clearly commands, "Do not take your neighbor's wife" (1 Thessalonians 4:6, Contemporary Bible), yet King David took Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:27). Moreover, he deliberately planned to kill Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, who was a loyal soldier (verses 14–26).

Why did David commit evil in God's sight? (verse 27) (1) When God granted him victory in war wherever he went (8:6, 14), David became careless and relaxed his vigilance. Therefore, when the time for war came, he sent the Israelite army and Joab out while he remained in the royal palace in Jerusalem (11:1, 2, Contemporary Bible). (2) He saw Bathsheba bathing (verse 2) and found her very beautiful (verse 2). He saw what he should not have seen. (3) He sent someone to inquire about Bathsheba (verse 3) and learned she was Uriah’s wife, a married woman (verse 3). (4) He sent messengers to bring Bathsheba to him, and he slept with her (verse 4). (5) He found out Bathsheba was pregnant (verse 5). (6) So he tried twice to get Uriah to go home (verses 8, 12–13). The reason was that if Uriah slept with Bathsheba, who was pregnant by David, Uriah might believe the child was his own. (7) When Uriah did not go home as planned, David conspired with Joab and had Uriah killed in battle (verses 14–26). (8) After Uriah’s funeral, David sent for Bathsheba to come to the palace and made her his wife (verse 27). The Bible says that what David did was evil in God's sight (verse 27).

We must close our mouths when we need to. Especially when we have foolishness in our hearts, we must close our mouths. We must not foolishly act arrogantly or boast. Also, we must not plot or plan evil deeds. Especially, we must not stir up the anger of others. If we do not stop stirring up another’s anger, disputes will inevitably arise. Therefore, we must close our mouths when necessary and stop when we need to.

In closing this meditation on the Word: In this harsh and sinful world, to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, we desperately need God’s wisdom (Matthew 10:16). Today’s passage, Proverbs 30:18-33, reflects on five aspects of the wisest way to live:

1. The wisest life is to abandon hypocrisy.

2. The wisest life is to live orderly.

3. The wisest life is to be diligent like the ant, to foresee danger and secure a home like the rock badger, to unite like locusts, and to be quick and cunning like the lizard.

4. The wisest life is to have dignity and steadfast strength, to take initiative in leading, to identify problems, and to act as a protector and leader at the forefront.

5. The wisest life is to close our mouths and stop when we must.

May you and I live the wisest life.