“For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them. But whoever listens to me will dwell secure, and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
– Proverbs 1:32–33
Proverbs 1:32–33 punctuate a whole section in Proverbs chapter 1 on those who turn away from wisdom, or those who don’t seek out wisdom. Those who basically get caught up with the foolishness of this world, with turning from the wisdom of God to the ways of this world. You’ve got to picture all throughout Proverbs 1 of being enticed into sin, into foolishness by the world, which inevitably happens to all of us. We are all prone to sin. We are prone to foolishness. Left on our own, apart from God’s spirit and God’s word, we run towards sin. Or we slide towards sin. We must then be active in pursuing God’s word, God’s wisdom, learning God’s ways.
May God give us grace to actively seek and pursue wisdom through His Word.
And so that’s the picture here in Proverbs 1:32–33. “The complacency of fools destroys them.” Those who don’t actively look for wisdom, don’t actively listen to wisdom. That’s the whole picture at in verse 33, “Whoever listens to me,” this is talking about wisdom, “Will dwell secure, will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” So that picture of listening, of seeking wisdom, of intentionally, this is not passive, but actively looking for wisdom, seeking out wisdom, listening to wisdom that leads to security and ease, avoiding disaster.
The opposite, though, happens when we don’t seek wisdom. When we slide into complacency. When we turn towards foolishness, which is our bent apart from God’s grace and God’s spirit and God’s word. So Proverbs chapter 1 is basically shouting to us in a gracious, merciful way, “Seek wisdom. Seek wisdom.” I actively ask for wisdom, actively be in God’s word, actively seek God’s ways, and you will dwell, secure.
Proverbs 1:32–33 Reminds Us To Find Security In God
So God help us, we pray. God, I just think I am one foolish decision away from wrecking so much in my life. It’s so humbling to think about God. I don’t even want to think about it, but I’m one foolish decision away from just bringing disaster upon myself, upon others. And every single person who’s listening to this right now, that is the case. God, we need your grace. We need your help. We need your wisdom. We need your word. We need to walk according to your ways. All your ways are good. All your wisdom is right. So we come to you and we ask you for wisdom, and we pray that you would give us wisdom in every decision we make. As we face temptation, that we would not slide into foolishness.
God, please help us to walk in Proverbs 1:32–33 wisdom today, in everything we think, desire, say, do, make us wise, we pray. Help me to be wise. Help us to be wise. And in the wisdom that you promised to give us. It’s not like you’re holding it back from us. You give it generously when we ask. So we ask for wisdom, and we pray that as a result of your answering this prayer, we will dwell secure and be at ease in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
