Gold Nugget 378 - Prudence
The need for prudence.
Prudent conduct reflects credit upon ones parents. The graceless children of gracious parents are a special reproach, bringing dishonour even upon the Name of God. The world will generally lay blame at the parents’ door.
The need and advantage of forethought. Prudence has been described at “the virtue of the senses.” It is the science of appearances. It is the outward action of the inward life. It is content to seek health of body by complying with physical conditions, and health of mind by complying with the laws of intellect.
It is possible to give a base and cowardly interpretation of the duty of prudence; that “which makes the senses final is the divinity of sots and cowards, and is the subject of all comedy. The true prudence admits the knowledge of an outward and real world.” This true prudence is only that which foresees, detects, and guards against the ills which menace the life of the soul. Those are “simple” who, often with the utmost regard for their material interest, go on heedless of the moral perils which their habits incur.
The folly of thoughtless suretyship. This, as we have seen, is often dwelt on in this book. It refers to a different condition of society from our own. We may generalize the warning.
Prudence includes a proper self-regard, a virtuous egotism, so to speak. When good-natured people complain that they have been deceived, taken in, and turn sourly against human nature, do they not reproach themselves for having lacked this primary virtue of prudence? The highest virtues can grow only out of the root of independence.
The Pulpit Commentary, Proverbs p. 526, Proverbs 27:11-13, (E. Johnson)
See also: Genesis 34:30, I Samuel 2:17,
Gold Nugget 378
Prudence
