Proverbs 19.20 says, Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. In our previous devotional, we considered the wisdom found here in Proverbs 19-20 as it relates to thy latter end, or as we mentioned before, what is called end-of-life concerns. This proverb is speaking directly toward practical matters of life in the here and now. That's why we kept our focus there previously. But now we want to take a moment to remind ourselves of how important it is to look at everything, including thy latter end, with a view toward the big picture. You see, it's very important for the reasons mentioned to hear counsel and receive instruction so that you end this life without being a burden to your loved ones. And if you claim to be a follower of Christ, but then you have to rely on the government and others to take care of you and to even cover your funeral and burial expenses, as many professing Christians have done, well, that's just not a good testimony for the Lord. And I've heard this many times through the years. People say, if Christianity is so great, then why are so many Christians so helpless? Well, that's a sad commentary on the state of end-time Christianity, but I just have to tell those who say such things that just because a person claims to be a Christian, first of all, it doesn't mean that they are one. And even if they are, it doesn't mean that they are obedient to the teachings of Christ and his word. In other words, being saved is one thing, following the teachings of the Bible like a Christian ought to is another. Every Christian successfully follows the teachings of Christ to a different degree, and some seem to rarely do so. Now, none of us act like Christians perfectly all the time, but some do so little in accordance with biblical wisdom and teachings that Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3.15 that they shall be saved so as by fire. But even at that, the Christian who is like that and lacks wisdom in these practical considerations is still wiser than the man or woman who dies in good financial condition but loses his own soul. As Jesus put it in Mark 8, 36, for what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? You might be wise in money matters, but are you wise in thy latter end if you end up in hell? The most important central wisdom found in the Bible is the gospel itself, and when presented with the gospel, the sinner should hear counsel and receive instruction that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. Some debate whether Solomon will be in heaven because of his rebellion against biblical wisdom in his latter end. Think of having written Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon and still ending up in hell. I don't know that he did, but that demonstrates the possibility of being worldly wise, but lost. Then there's Benjamin Franklin, his poor Richard's almanac filled with practical wisdom. Yet, Ben rejected the gospel and never gave any evidence of repentance that's on record. The same is true for other founding fathers. The popes, most kings, queens, dictators, emperors, prime ministers, and presidents. It's important to take care of earthly matters and not to leave this world in a mess that brings the name of Christ into reproach. But it is eternally worse to refuse to take care of your sin problem and to receive the forgiveness of sins freely offered to all who will repent toward God with faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. In an eternal sense, We ought to explain this fact to the lost souls God's placed in our lives at every opportunity. Colossians 4, 5, and 6 encourages us in the writings of Paul, inspired of God, saying, quote, walk in wisdom toward them that are without, meaning outside of the church, non-Christians. Redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Let's be ready to talk to those people, including the wise people, worldly wise, who continue to reject Jesus Christ.