In The Message paraphrase we read, ‘For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, there’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it’ll be too late to help them”’ (Proverbs 29:1 MSG). King Solomon was said to be the wisest man who ever lived. He wrote these words, but sadly he didn’t live by them, so he ‘crashed and burned’. And if it could happen to Solomon, it could happen to any of us. So how can we guard against falling? We need to avoid favouring gifts and skills above character. There’s often a tendency to celebrate and reward someone’s gift and overlook their character; but both must be developed, not just the gifts and skills part.

In Psalm 15, David gives us eight traits to look for in a leader worthy of respect: 1) They have integrity. 2) They don’t take part in gossip. 3) They don’t harm others. 4) They speak up against wrong. 5) They honour those who walk in the truth. 6) They keep their promise, even at personal cost. 7) They’re not greedy to profit at the expense of others. 8) They’re strong and stable. David concludes his psalm by saying those who do these things ‘will never be shaken’.

Even if we’re not leaders, we should pay attention to this list, because every one of those traits is worth developing, whatever our role in life. And by working on these things, we’ll have some of the best protection from falling. We also need to stay close to God and learn to recognise His voice by talking and listening to Him every day and getting into His Word regularly. That way, we’ll have the best guidance system to help us avoid falls that could take us down.

What Now?

Go through the list of traits in today’s reading. For each one, assess if you’re strong in that area, if you’re okay but want to do better, or if you’re lacking. Ask God to help you improve where you need to. Next week, go through the list again and see if there are any changes, even small ones, in the right direction.