Deadly Confusion

0:00There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16-25 Welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread. Deadly confusion was written and read by Wynne Collier. Proverbs 16 verses 20-25. Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart are called discerning and gracious words promote instruction. Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools. The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent and their lips promote instruction. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and healing to the bones.

1:03There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Deadly confusion A loud thump came from a window in the classroom where I was teaching and startled the students. Then another thump. A bird had flown headlong into the glass and bounced off, only to make another run for yet another crash. Later I read that more than a billion birds die each year from hitting windows in the United States alone. Collisions happen when they catch reflections of vegetation in the window and go after them, convince they see food or nesting material. Sometimes they also catch their own reflection and think another bird needs to be fended off. They're sure they see clearly, but they're confused. It's dangerous to think we always see what's true, that we possess internal clarity about

2:06our lives. However, we suffer from a deadly confusion and repeatedly demonstrate that even our best wisdom, left to itself, eventually yields misery. There is a way that appears to be right, proverb says, but in the end it leads to death. We think we see what's real, but too often we're confused. Even our keenest insight is riddled with misperceptions. Even our clearest vision is still cloudy, imperfect, and often ruinous. That's why we need God's wisdom. We need Him to illuminate the truth and guide us into what's real. We need Him to lead us out of our deadly confusion and into wholeness and life. Let's pray. Dear God, so much of our life is confusing. There are so many ways and places where we sense that we've lost our way, and we don't

3:11know the step forward. Please lead us. Help us to see clearly through you. Help us to trust you. Amen. As you go about your day, reflect on these questions. When has false perception led you into confusion? How does God's wisdom offer a better way?