My Mind

Prov 29:11 "A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back" (ESV). 

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control" (NIV).

This is always a good reminder. While the NIV, NAS, and NLT talk about anger. The NAS footnote says, “literally, ‘sends forth all his spirit’”. The NKJV says feelings, the KJV says the fool utters all his mind. The Message says the fool lets it all hang out.

I learned the NIV and it has served me well in regard to anger. But these other versions opens up more than just anger. I looked up the word for anger and it is ruwach. Literally – wind. The pronunciation even sounds like wind. Gen 1:2 uses it for the Spirit. All of these variations are listed in the concordances.

With all this, I can see how all these versions are attempting to get at the idea that when I don’t control my emotional outbursts, I’m a fool. Those outbursts could also be something other than anger. That might be what the Message is hinting at or the KJV when it says he utters all his mind. I don’t want everyone know everything that is in my mind. It will only prove me a fool.

Lord, give me self-control because my mind is still subject to depravity.

A Delivered Fool

 

Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. Prov 28:26

When I read this, it reminds me of total depravity. I am not wise because of the fall. Before coming to Christ for salvation and being made a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), I was dead in my sins and transgressions (Eph 2:1). That lack of wisdom means that what I thought was wise was really foolishness. I thought that I could do whatever I wanted as long as it didn’t hurt anyone. I was right there on the edge of thinking that I could do anything I wanted as long as I didn’t get caught. Wow, when I think of that now, I’m astounded that I could have been such a fool.

But now, I’ve been made new by being born again. I’ve been made alive with Jesus Christ (Eph 2:5). I’ve been delivered from my old self to be a new creature in Jesus. Jesus is often equated with wisdom. When I walk with Jesus, I’m walking in and with wisdom. He has delivered me. My walk is totally credited to Jesus, and it isn’t of my own doing. Yes, I have to obey, but before he made me alive, I couldn’t possibly obey. I didn’t even want to. But now, I want to obey even though I still sin and disobey at times. But I’m forgiven!

Lord, thank you for freeing me from my own sinful mind and delivering me for eternity with you.