Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and refreshment for your body. – Proverbs 3:7-8 (NRSV) 

Self-help gurus will tell you to “trust your instincts.” “Go with your gut,” they say. “Follow your heart.”
But today’s somewhat cranky reading from Proverbs flies in the face of pop psychology, saying, “Do not be wise in your own eyes.” In other words, do not always trust yourself.

When I moved into my first parsonage, at the age of 26, the church told me I could pick out any color I wanted for every room, and that volunteers would paint the house. I perused paint chips and decided that most houses were boring. Not only would I choose a different color for every room, I was going to make bold and bright choices. I couldn’t wait to see the results.

Once the painting was under way, I realized I had not been wise. The little paint chips were not nearly as disco bright as the color turned out on the walls. Walking from one neon room to another was like strolling through a funhouse. I could tell the volunteer painters were skeptical, but by the time so much work had been done, all I could do was move in and live with the results of my choices, a parsonage lovingly decorated in the aesthetic of a roller rink.

Prayer
Dear Lord, help me to know when to trust my instincts, and when to ask for help. After all, I don’t know everything. Amen.

About the Author
Lillian Daniel serves as Conference Minister with the Michigan Conference UCC. She is the author of Tired of Apologizing for a Church I Don’t Belong To and When “Spiritual But Not Religious” Is Not Enough.