Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. – Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)
Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. – Proverbs 27:1 (KJV)
Theme: Living According to God’s Word
This is our 8th week on this theme. See previous posts here: Everything…With all of Your Heart, No Grumbling, Overcome Evil with Good, A Gentle Answer, Walk, The Beginning of Knowledge, Pride, Boast in the Lord
It’s prudent to plan for the future. I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time thinking…should we be saving more…should we be giving more…where should our kids go to school in the future…should we buy a home/car/bike/etc…when can we take a vacation…should we change jobs or retire…and on and on. There’s nothing wrong with making such plans. In fact, we would be wrong not to do so (see Proverbs 21:5 and Proverbs 6:6-8 for just two examples of God’s guidance on planning ahead). However, the key for us, as Christians, is to recognize that God owns the future and His plans will, and should, always take precedence over our plans. From Proverbs 19:21: Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails (NIV). Even more, we know with certainty that His plans are always better than our plans…even if we don’t understand them (recall Jeremiah 29:11 and Isaiah 55:8).
We don’t know what the future may bring…but God knows. Thus, Proverbs 27:1 reminds us not to brag about what we have planned for tomorrow. Rather, we should approach the future as we’re told in James 4:15:
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (NIV)
