The Thin Line Between Prudence and Cunning

In today’s issue of The Overflow, we will focus on one word: “prudence”. This word stuck out to me in a recent conversation, but I had to sit with it before I could fully grasp why it was striking me as important.

In our English dictionary the word is defined as:

• the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason

• sagacity or shrewdness in the management of affairs

• skill and good judgment in the use of resources

• caution or circumspection as to danger or risk

Ok, who doesn’t want this? Up front, it sounded a lot like “wisdom” to me, but it was homing in on finding its unique qualities that intrigued me. Since both words are used in scripture and are described as desirable traits, I wanted to understand the difference between them. As I dug in, I found a treasure of revelation that I hope further forms my walk in the days and years to come.

As I looked at various scriptures that referenced the words “prudence” and “wisdom” and read commentary about the ancient Eastern culture, my takeaway was not only are the two are closely related, but they are actually harmonious in their relationship to each other.

Let’s talk about wisdom first –a theme we see repeatedly in the Bible. We see that godly wisdom is something to be sought after; it comes directly from God and honors Him. Godly wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord and trades earthly values for biblical values. Having godly wisdom means aiming to see life from God’s perspective. Proverbs 16:16 even says, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” This means it is an invaluable resource. And the good news is, we learn in James 1:5-7 that God gives it freely and generously to all who ask, as long as we don’t doubt it.

Expanding further, Proverbs 8:12 shows us that wisdom and prudence coexist, quite literally dwelling and abiding together. Given their close relationship and the fact that Proverbs is a book of wisdom literature, it's not surprising that the word "prudent" appears most frequently in this book—10 times, to be exact. Each occurrence provides guidance and insight in how to act prudently. As I came to understand it, prudence can essentially be thought of as the practical application of wisdom, involving the ability to govern and discipline oneself through the use of wisdom.

So how do we do that? To help me figure it out, I explored the original Hebrew word that is translated 'prudent' in the Bible. The word is “arum”, which generally means "shrewd, crafty, prudent, cunning." What I found interesting, however, is this Hebrew word appears other places in scripture where the English translation is very different. Apparently, this word can be used to describe a range of characteristics, from positive traits like prudence to negative ones like cunning and deceit. The term conveys a sense of being skillfully resourceful or strategic, which can either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the context.

Perhaps the most shocking to me, was that this original word shows up first in Genesis 3:1 where it was used to describe the serpent who would first deceive humanity – the same word is translated here as “crafty” or “cunning”. Woah – this means when we act in ‘arum’ we are either skillfully wise, or we are skillfully deceitful.

And now the punch line – what’s the difference maker? It’s the connection to whether we are applying godly wisdom or wisdom that comes from another source. One commentary put it this way, “The term reflects the complexity of human character and the importance of discernment in evaluating actions and intentions. This shows us that the line between wisdom and cunning can be thin, and "arum" captures this duality.”

With this understanding, my prayer is that everyone on this faith journey embraces prudence, which is only truly attainable through the wisdom of God. By doing so, I believe we can avoid risks that might lead to ruin, make decisions that benefit us and others in the long term, and ensure our actions are ethically fair and just. So, men and women of God, let’s commit to being strategic and skillful for God’s glory – because apart from Him we may end up looking more like the snake!

And lastly as I wrap, here’s some additional content that has recently benefited me:

• To Sharpen: The Domino Effect of Relationships - Pastor Josh Howerton

• To Worship: Jesus That I Know (Acoustic) | Stephen McWhirter

• To Soak: PEACE | IN HIS PRESENCE | Soaking worship instrumental

• To Ponder: Proverbs 14:15

And as always, I ask you to remember this truth: your life and what you do with it matters. The world needs you, and as you follow and remain in Jesus, you WILL bear fruit!

Much Love,

Kellie