Proverbs 14.8
“The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.”
Proverbs 14.12
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Proverbs 14.15-16
“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.”
Situational awareness is an essential skill. Your ability to respond to a situation will only be as effective as the clarity with which you see the situation. Clarity is power.
This is Paul’s message in Ephesians 5: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5.15-16)
The word that Paul uses for “carefully” is the word akribos, which means “diligently and accurately.” The admonition here is to see situations with clarity, courage, and wisdom. See what needs to be seen, not just the immediate and the obvious. Have the courage to see the reality of the situation. Beware of screening out realities you don’t want to see. Have the wisdom to see what God wants you to see.
The challenge is that we see through a narrow and limited lens. We see through a filter. We see selectively and subjectively. We have blind spots. As result, what gets our attention sometimes distracts us from what really matters. What also get us into trouble is that although our perspective is limited, it feels complete. We think we see more clearly than we actually do.
We tend to see situations in a way that justifies our current behavior patterns. “Look carefully” and “Look around you” is hard work, but you must do it, and you must get good at it. Our old default nature is narrow, selfish, and driven by deceitful passions. Our new nature in Christ — our discipline-driven nature — is redeemed and empowered to see with clarity and courage. The new nature has courage to do the hard work of situational awareness.
This is where E+R=O helps enormously.
When you experience an event or situation, Press Pause and gain clarity. Slow down, get off autopilot, and give yourself time to think. The more challenging the situation, the more important it is that you stop and think. We get in trouble when we act too quickly on the basis of impulse and habit.
This is the battle between our new nature in Christ and our old nature. The old nature is unwise. It does not want us to see clearly or evaluate the situation; it wants to react with default-driven habit. The old nature doesn’t want to think; it wants to react according on impulse. The old nature wants us to do what is comfortable and convenient, not what is necessary.
Our new nature guides us to Press Pause, slow down, seek wisdom, and gain clarity. It wants us to act with discipline-driven intention, purpose, and skill. The new nature wants us to do what is necessary, even if it is uncomfortable or difficult.
Whether at work or at home, we are confronted daily with the battle of discipline vs default. Intentional response vs impulsive reaction. New nature vs old nature. The first step in winning that battle is to Press Pause and gain clarity.
Remember, this is a spiritual battle. Winning the battle means standing firm in the faith, praying diligently, trusting God, and applying the self-discipline that the Spirit supplies.
