Those who receive the Lord’s commandments will be delivered, but all who are not attentive will stumble and will not be able to rise, because they only thought of doing what they understood to be convenient for themselves. The Scriptures warn us repeatedly that walking according to our own understanding is a path filled with confusion and traps, for the human heart, when left to its own impulses, easily drifts toward pride and self-reliance.
Solomon, writer of the book of Proverbs, wise and knowledgeable man, spoke these inspired words to show us the contrast between the person who opens his heart to divine wisdom and the one who rejects instruction. The wise person advances with caution; he observes the stone before he crosses, he examines the path before placing his foot upon it. He understands that following God’s commandments is the safest and surest way to walk. But those who reject wisdom fall because they ignore the words that could have helped them discern the obstacle in front of them. A heart closed to instruction becomes a heart exposed to danger.
Many believe they are the wisest, but they are wrong, because with their own thoughts they fall into the void. Human confidence without divine guidance is nothing more than a fragile illusion. It blinds the eyes, hardens the heart, and makes a person think he can stand firm without God. Yet the Scriptures affirm the opposite—only the humble and teachable walk securely.
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
Proverbs 10:8
This verse makes a clear distinction: the wise in heart are those who are willing to listen, learn, and obey. They understand that the commandments of the Lord are not burdens but blessings, not chains but the very path to life. By being wise and not relying solely on your own opinion, God will allow you to receive His commandments, and those commandments will teach you about all the good that dwells in Him. The heart that listens is the heart that grows; the heart that yields is the heart that God guides.
But that foolish person will look at evil and not depart from it, because to that person evil appears normal. When the heart becomes accustomed to darkness, it can no longer distinguish between what harms and what heals. These fools do not mind doing as they please, living by impulse, pride, or convenience. They do not consider consequences nor value counsel. That is why many are lost along the way; their stubbornness leads them into destruction because they are neither humble nor willing to practice good.
God, in His mercy, continually calls us to embrace wisdom—a wisdom that does not come from this world but from His own heart. This wisdom protects us, shapes us, and guides our steps so we may walk uprightly. Let us act with righteousness of heart, allowing that wisdom which comes from God to remain firm in us. Let it never be rejected by our hearts, but instead let us treasure it, meditate on it, and make it ours every day. A heart that embraces wisdom becomes a heart strengthened by God.
The commandments of the Lord are not mere instructions; they are life-giving words meant to direct us toward holiness, justice, and truth. When we receive them with humility, we acknowledge that God knows better than we do, that His thoughts are higher, and His ways are perfect. But when we resist, we walk in darkness and expose ourselves to stumbling.
Let us continue attentive to all that God commands us. Let us keep humility alive in our hearts so that we may remain obedient in everything God places before us. A humble heart is a teachable heart, and a teachable heart is a safe heart. The person who listens to God walks securely, even when the path seems unclear, because divine wisdom lights the way. May our desire each day be to walk in the fear of the Lord, receiving His commandments with joy and allowing His wisdom to be the foundation of our steps.