Two Ways God Protects Us from Our Own Folly

They cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” ... He said, “Then bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot… And there was no harm in the pot.

2 Kings 4:40–41

How can God’s work continue when His people make so many mistakes? God protects us from the worst effects of our own folly. How does He do this? Here are two ways.

1. Sometimes God protects us by His direct intervention
Flour does not neutralise poison. What happened here is like when Moses put a log into the bitter waters of Marah and made them sweet (Ex. 15). It is like when Elisha put salt in the bad water at Jericho with a similar effect (2 Kings 2). The log, the salt, and the flour were visible signs of God’s invisible work.

You see this when the soldiers came with an armed mob to arrest Jesus. Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. “Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51). God protects us by His direct intervention. His hidden hand saves us from untold disasters.

2. Sometimes God protects us through wisdom given to others
If the young student had taken someone with him who knew the plants, he would not have picked poisonous ones. Can you tell the difference between what will nourish your spiritual life and what will diminish it? This is one reason God gives pastors to churches. They can help you to know what is healthy and guard you from what might make you sick. God protects us through wisdom given to others.

Have you found wise Christian friends? Make a habit of asking them for their counsel.