#48 The Truly Wise Trust in God’s Counsels

Eccl. 2:15.  Then I said to myself: What befalls the fool will befall me also; why then have I been so very wise? And I said to myself that this also is vanity.

This, too, is intended to make us refrain from trust in our own counsels. “I administered my kingdom very wisely,” he says, “and yet it did not succeed as I wished. On the other hand, I had a prefect who did not rule as wisely, and yet he did succeed. Therefore when I see that fools have almost the same success or even greater success, why have I made such an effort to act wisely? That is, why do I trust in my own counsels and my own wisdom, adding sorrow to labor? And I said to myself that this also is vanity. By my experience I learned that one should trust neither in counsel nor in temerity.” Earlier it was shown that wisdom excels folly, even though affairs are decided neither by folly nor by wisdom. One should, therefore, travel by the middle way: affairs should be commended to the King, who has made us. If He has granted us some opportunity, let us use it; if He has given us something, let us accept it; if He takes it away, let us bear it. Whatever you can do, do; whatever you cannot do, leave alone. What you cannot budge, let lie. Wisdom is beneficial, then, if I do what I know is pleasing to God and commit to Him what He wishes to be accomplished through me. If we did this, then at last we would be truly wise. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.41-42)

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