Haste makes waste.

How many of us have heard this phrase? It describes the natural consequences we suffer when we do things too quickly. Simply put, when we act hastily, we make mistakes. Then we expend more time, energy, and even money correcting what could have been avoided ~ if we had taken the time to plan properly.

Isn’t that the truth! I can personally testify how haste creates waste: 

• So many times my rash words have caused confusion, frustration, or hurt feelings. It takes time and energy to clarify, soothe, or rebuild trust.
• As I clear out my closets and take multiple trips of donations to various charities, I shake my head at all the impulsive purchases I’ve made. Some of the items still have price tags attached ~ they’ve never been used or worn. Money hastily spent which could have been used for better purposes.
• I think of my quickness to say, “Yes” to any opportunity which comes my way. I have the tendency in my life to overextend myself and give tirelessly to different projects. Even though most of these opportunities allow me to serve God and help others, they don’t always make the best use of my talents and abilities. And too often they keep me from serving in ways more compatible with my stage in life.

I love the wisdom of this verse from the book of Proverbs:

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
     but the folly of fools is deception. (Proverbs 14:8 NIV)

The Hebrew word for prudent, arum, can also be translated as shrewd or sensible. It conveys the idea of being careful and discerning when making decisions. Prudent people are cautious rather than impulsive, and they demonstrate good management of their talents and resources.

Often the Bible contrasts a prudent person with a fool, as we see in this verse. In this case, the Bible describes the fool as being deceived. When we fail to carefully consider our ways, we easily deceive ourselves. We either underestimate the costs, or overestimate our resources. Either way, our rash decisions lead to folly, or decisions which run counter to God’s wisdom.

Jesus also referred to the virtue of prudence when He told His disciples to count the costs before deciding to follow Him: 

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30 NIV)

Jesus used this illustration in the context of thinking carefully about our decision to follow Him. But His example bears a universal truth. Before undertaking a project like building a tower, a contractor needs to take the time to estimate his costs and verify he has adequate resources. Otherwise, he runs the risk of being unable to complete the project. His rash decision will cause him to look foolish to all who see his uncompleted tower. The same can be said of us. We will be prudent if we act only after carefully considering the costs, and our available resources.

As part of my reflection of the year 2021, I identified some of my regrets. They all have one thing in common: they all came from rash words, impulsive expenditures, or hasty commitments of my time and energy. 

So as I look forward to 2022, I have chosen to focus on the word prudence. My goal is to pause and prayerfully consider:

• My words before I speak
• My purchases before I lay down the money
• My resources of time and energy before I commit to any projects  

Wherever the road leads me in 2022, I hope to cultivate the wisdom of prudence. As I give thought to my ways, I pray I will honor the One who leads me. Wherever you journey takes you in 2022, I pray you can do the same.