Proverbs 16:21 Commentary and Bible Study

The word heart is used in the Book of Proverbs more of the mind than of the emotions. These have a new power to think given to them at conversion. A new body of wisdom comes in so that even the newly converted have a great advantage over the wisest in this world. The principles of the word become almost intuitive to us. Our view of everything changes: those we work with in the office, our neighbours, our national system. We see that this is a created world and a fallen world. We see the tragedy of sin and the heartache it causes, and we are not puzzled by the state of the world anymore. We see that the world is dominated by sin. Most of us did not have this before conversion, but now we understand all in the light of the word of God. What is prudence? It is careful attention to present behaviour because of benefits perceived in the future, benefits which others may not be able to see. Wisdom is especially praised when it is hidden from others who are in exactly the same circumstances. These shall be called prudent. By whom? Certainly by the Lord. He sees what he has made us for he gives discernment and perceptiveness to each one of his children. We still need to advance but there is a vast difference between what we are now and what we were before we trusted in Christ. But even by an unbelieving world we will be called prudent or perceptive. They will say this to their own condemnation. Although the unbeliever may have derided the believer all his life, in the day of reckoning it will be clear that it was the believer who had a better understanding of life, and prepared better for the day that has finally come. They deny themselves many things that the world regards as harmless; they always seek the glory of God rather than the glory of men; they busy themselves with preaching the only message that will count for anything in the final analysis; they are scrupulously honest in all their business, even to their own disadvantage. Why do they bother, men ask, and yet certainly at the end of time, and sometimes even before then the world must admit they are wise. Though it seemed to the worldling that the Christian wasted his life and threw away opportunities for gain during his life on earth, and continued to speak of a future that could not be seen which the unbeliever dismissed as a fiction, yet that time eventually came. All that the non-Christian lived for was taken away and found to be worthless, but the unseen future glories of the child of God are proven to be real, and therefore he will be judged as prudent and perceptive in hindsight even by those who lose their eternal souls.The speech of God’s children is transformed compared to what it was before. This is not eloquence, but the sweetness of kindness, truth, instruction, correction, reproof, life-giving power. We are concerned to help people and to exalt Christ. This increases the learning of those around us. Previously our conversation focused on ourselves and was full of boasting, or quarrelling, or running others down, or on our possessions, but now grace makes us able to do good with our lips.