PRUDENCE

                                                         PRUDENCE.

Prudence is the ability to make sound decisions based on reason and experience. It is the ability to discern what is best for oneself in the present moment and act accordingly. It requires knowledge and foresight and a sensible attitude when making decisions and managing resources. It is having a good judgement and acting wisely and discreetly, with a clear understanding of potential consequences of one’s actions. Prudence is a virtue, it is a valuable and desirable character trait and it is a bridge between wisdom and action. It is the quality of being careful and cautious particularly in practical matters, and avoiding unnecessary risks. It is  the ability to assess situations, weigh options, and make sound decisions  based on available information and experience. 

Prudence is not limited to finances, it cuts across every aspect of one’s daily living.  That is by applying it in various areas, such as career, relationships, personal growth, and in spiritual matters.  It is needed to be able to navigate life’s challenges, making wise decisions and being prepared for potential dangers. It involves careful considerations, foresight and acting wisely so as to reduce risk, and achieve better outcomes.

A prudent person is discerning, and discernment allows him or her to make wise choices in both his or her personal and professional live. He has a deep understanding of himself,  knows his capabilities and strength and also his weaknesses and limitations. This aligns with a philosopher’s saying “He who knows himself is mighty.” He is clever and sensible and he thinks before he acts and when he acts , it is with knowledge. “All who are prudent act with knowledge.” Pro13:16. He is able to manage  information  because he will process it before acting.

What does the Bible say about Prudence?

Pro8:5”You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.”

Pro8:12”I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence.”

Pro10 :5” He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”

Pro12:16” Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.”

Pro14:8”The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways.”

Pro14:15”The simple believe anything but the prudent give thought to their steps.”

Pro15:5”A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.”

Pro22:”The prudent see danger and take refuge,  but the simple  keep going and pay the penalty.”

The scripture talks much about prudence and the purpose of prudence is to consider the circumstances of time, place and manner that are relevant in any given situation. No wonder the  Five wise virgins, and Abigail  wife of Nabal, just to mention a few, prudently resolved issues confronting them and the outcomes were successful. Let us see how they got the issues resolved.

The Five wise virgins-Matt25:1-25.

In the parable of the Ten Virgins  narrated by Jesus Christ where he likened the kingdom of heaven with the ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. It was recorded that Five were foolish and Five were wise. The foolish ones took  their lamps but did not take any oil with them, while the wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. At midnight the cry rang out: “ Here’s the bridegroom ! Come out to meet him!” All the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps and the foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out,” The wise ones replied “No” with reason that ,there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go  buy from those selling oil. Unfortunately for them the bridegroom arrived while they went to buy oil but the Five virgins with oil in their lamps went in with him to the wedding banquet. Brethren, the Five that went in applied prudence from the onset to the end. How? They took extra oil in jars in case the one in the lamp burned out, when the other Five requested that they share with them,it is out of prudence that they declined, and they did not just decline, they still prudently advised them to go buy. It they were not prudent enough,they would have shared the oil and they too would have missed  the banquet. We would not miss the Marriage  Supper of the Lamb due to foolishness and lack of prudence in Jesus’ name.

Brethren, we need to be prudent in all our day to day activities and to also be wise.

Abigail the wife of Nabal - 1Sam25:2-44.

Nabal was a wealthy Calebite and he had thousands of goats and sheep which he sheared at Carmel. He was surly and mean in his dealings, that is ill-natured and inclined to anger. His wife Abigail was an intelligent and beautiful woman. She is wise and prudent. By her timely action and kind words she prudently handled the situation between her husband and David which could have led to total destruction and bloodshed.

While David was in the wilderness with his men, he sent greetings  through his servants and humbly requested  that Nabal who was shearing sheep with his men should kindly send some edibles to him and his servants. David based his requests on the basis that it was festive time and that he and his servants had been of great help to him and his servants before, once they were together in the wilderness. However, instead of Nabal to honour David’s request, he hurled insults on him and responded rudely to his men and did not send anything to David. Every word he uttered was reported to David and  David decided to war against him with four hundred men and they set out. And David said “May God deal with David, be it so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” 1Sam 25: 22. Fortunately one of Nabal’s servants who witnessed the episode of how Nabal hurled insults came to inform Abigail that disaster was hanging over their master and his whole household.

On hearing this Abigail acted quickly, packed assorted food items and loaded them on the donkeys and told her servants to go ahead. She followed them, to go and meet David but did not tell her husband when she left. When she saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down  before David with her face to the ground. She fell at David’s feet and plead with him  to pardon her husband and not to pay attention  to all he has said. She eulogized David and made him realise that the LORD has   kept him from bloodshed and from avenging himself with his own hands. She begged David to forgive Nabal and she prayed for David. David was so pleased with her  that he said to Abigail “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel , who sent you today to meet me.”1Sam25:32. He went further to say, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by day break and that  her timely action and judgment had kept him from bloodshed and from harming Abigail too. Then David accepted all she brought and asked her to go home in peace  since he has granted her request. David admired Abigail’s prudence and he acknowledged it.

Brethren, Abigail displayed a high sense of prudence which David admired and acknowledged. 

Let us highlight how Abigail displayed her sense of prudence.

It is an act of prudence to listen patiently to her husband’s servant.

She did not interrupt him and she did not make any attempt to go ask her husband.

Without any delay, she quickly acted by packing assorted food items and loaded them on the donkeys.

She instructed her servants to go ahead and she followed.

Her not notifying her husband before she set out was commendable because he might disapprove of her going.

Quickly getting down off her donkey as she sighted David and bowed down before him with her face to the ground showed her being prudent.

She pleaded passionately with David to forgive and pardon her husband.

She eulogised David a lot and prayed for him.

She made David realise the saving grace of not been guilty of avenging himself and staggering burden of bloodshed.

That she presented the food items last to David showed how prudent she was.

And on getting back home, she didn’t tell her husband anything because he was holding a banquet, and he was drunk. Abigail had to wait until daybreak and when she noticed he was sober  she told him everything. 

Following the sequence of how Abigail  handed the situation from  the beginning to the end, it was evident that she was prudent and displayed a high sense of prudence.

Brethren, as mentioned above, we need to be prudent in our day to day activities. Prudence is needed and should be applied in every aspect of our lives. May we not be foolish, may we be among the wise and prudent ones.

Brethren, it’s worth noting that non-application of prudence in our daily activities and encounters may lead to negative consequences. 

Such as -

Taking unwise decisions.

Taking unnecessary risks.

Running into financial crisis.

Missing opportunities.

Acting foolishly most of the time.

To avoid all the listed above, you are advised  to apply prudence in all your life’s endeavours.

Prayer- 

Father,  help me to apply prudence in all my daily activities and encounters so that I will be able to navigate life’s challenges successfully.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen.