The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. (Proverbs 27:12)

Some years ago my wife, Cetelia, thought I was getting too close to a female friend. She warned me about it, and it ticked me off because I didn't think anything was wrong.

Regardless of if she was wrong or right, I terminated the relationship to keep the peace. You could say I was prudent.

Some years later, I saw myself getting to close to a family friend. I saw the danger, and like the simple, I kept going and paid the price.

While there was never anything physical in the relationship, I was definitely emotionally tied up. It created a huge mess that still shows up to this day several years later.

What is it about the prudent that makes them see danger AND take refuge? They have an eye on the future, and act like it's coming.

Prudent people aren't just living for this moment. They're living for tomorrow, and the day after that. They're living for next month. Next year. A decade from now. Prudent people know the future is coming.

Simple people, however, do what I did.

They're thinking about the benefit and pleasure of now, not the penalty of tomorrow.

They see the danger, acknowledge it, and keep going like nothing's bad gonna happen.

Simple people are deluded into thinking that they're special, and will get away with the very thing(s) no one else has been able to get away with.

Foolishness. Pure foolishness.

To make your marriage work, be prudent.