Witty Inventions

Proverbs 8:12 "I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions."

I was amazed when I ran across this scripture in the Bible. Whoever thought the all wise,  great Solomon, who could have anything he wanted, knew there needed to be a combination of wisdom, prudence and knowledge used with all the modern day inventions of his time?

The older I get, the more I realize Progress is on fast forward. I can't keep up with it and I get tired if I try. I do try. But somewhere way back I lost track of how to have knowledge of the most popular phone, car, clothing, food and a hundred other things.

All of us tend to accept the inevitable. Whatever "they" accept, even though we don't know  who "they" are, we quickly accept. We are so much more influenced by "peer pressure" than we think. I see us all as vehicles trying to keep up with each other or, more particularly, pass each other! We don't even know who's in the other vehicle, or where they are going, but we have to get the fastest car to get to wherever!

Some things just seem to be common knowledge!  A funny little family story: my oldest two grandsons were riding in my back seat when they were around three years old. One commented on a jeep we passed and told his Buddy he was going to buy it. With caution, the other asked, "You won't go fast, will you?" The first replied, "Men's go fast!" Now why did the little guy who asked the question feel concerned? And how did the other just accept the fact that men will drive fast? At three years, they already had accepted the fact that if you were a guy, you probably did some dangerous driving!  At that point, I was ready to bring their dads in for a lecture!!!!! But it's a fact: we all tend to drive fast!

Let me do my interpretation of Proverbs 8:12. "Let intelligence be mixed with common sense and caution as you understand the quick and easily accessible present day gadgets and contraptions."

Our household doesn't do TV. We have never desired one.  But every time I see the barrage of advertising presented on the television , I wonder how anyone can experience satisfaction in their lives when they daily access all that information. Bigger, better, faster, prettier, more, more, more.......

We are a much more productive world because of inventions. There have been many wonderful things invented through past generations. But this generation is producing just as many evil, unprofitable, not to mention, overly expensive gadgets that take over our minds, ruin our morals, sever relationships and cause us literally to sell our souls.

Truly, who is being witty? The enemy is laughing at us as we lavishly blow our resources on movies and sports robbing people of time and money needed in God's bigger Plan for mankind for Church and Family. People rush out to buy the latest tech gadget or the newest name brand tennis shoes to keep up with the Joneses when the same people are struggling to keep food on the table and pay their bills. It's only acceptable to drive an SUV or sports car if that's what your friend is driving. No matter that you can't afford the car payment.  It's hard to pull up an encouraging scripture at a crossroads when you haven't really picked up the Good Book in several months. We are paying big money for what we think is buying happiness and pleasure and investing in really risky choices. Oh yes, we're driving fast; very fast!

I, for one, have chosen to travel in a slower paced vehicle with Wisdom, Prudence and Knowledge as my passengers. Most people looking in my windows think I'm a little old fashioned in my ordinary, little car. While I am peacefully going the speed limit trying to heed every warning sign along the way, I am getting strange looks from the faster and bigger cars buzzing by me. I know their looks are saying: "Get off the road, little guy, if you can't keep up!" 

Its not really because I can't drive faster. I have before. It's really easy to do and even fun at times!  Sometimes it's tempting to be a little more "savvy" and I'm tempted to feel more wind on my face!. But when I have pulled into the fast lane, I get scared!  I feel like the little old lady on the Interstate who came down the ramp and turned left into the highway instead if merging. We came upon her sitting sideways in the road looking confused.  All this fast life confuses me!!!

My little grandson was right: men do drive fast!  They are on a fast lane where they can hardly see the yellow and red colors of the road signs, let alone read the warning. They're going too fast and are headed for a head on collision!  In fact, its unfortunate to often see one of those cars driving in the "No Passing" lane crashing and burning up the road. Not only the driver dies. but he's taking his family and friends with him!

So here I am. Puttering down the road with my tried and true companions. I know I look and seem out of place!  Sure feels safer, though, staying over in the Right lane!