Proverbs 4:6-8 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools] despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 8:10-12 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.
Proverbs 30:21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you.
Ecclesiastes: 9:17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom written mostly by King Solomon, but there are other writers as well. It is an ancient collection of sayings and life instructions that cover almost the entire gamut of life on earth. It may have been used to teach the aristocrats of the ancient Israelites. Yet today it is available to all walks of life. Anyone who searches the Scriptures will discover a wealth of wisdom proven through the millennia. This is not the latest best-selling book on the New York Times list. It is a collection of wisdom that was inspired by God himself through his Holy Spirit.
The book of Proverbs has been called the book of psychology. You can go back to these writings throughout a lifetime, and they will continue to astonish you at their accuracy and insight! One of the first bits of instruction in this wonderful collection is to seek out and heed wisdom. Wisdom says she was with God before the formation of the heavens and earth. Wisdom is personified in the bible. She offers her instructions to all who will listen. However, she warns that those who do not heed her are fools.
The benefits of seeking wisdom include all the best things that life offers. She will increase your years, be worth more to you than gold, rubies or riches. She teaches that no other thing will compare to what she offers the wise person who will follow her teachings.
One of the most useful studies I have found for godly living is to read the book of Proverbs. A fun practice is to start with whatever day of the month it is and read the matching chapter in Proverbs. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs and eventually this practice will get you through most of the book quickly. There is so much peace to be found in knowing what the word of God says about different topics. It is written in short, easy to understand sentences that require no outside interpretation.
Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This type of fear could also be described as reverence for the Lord. Believing that there is someone who is holy and more knowledgeable than you. Humility is rarely viewed as a strength in the current worldview. But to Christians, it is a necessary component of our growth. To admit that there is God who is our creator and our king, is not currently on trend. However, when we seek God’s patterns and God’s ways as a pathway to living, we will find a better degree of success and most certainly more harmony and peace. Wisdom is presented as the opposite of foolishness. And foolishness is not a recipe for righteous living.
The same joys and evils befall good men and evil men. Being wise does not mean you will not experience hardship and pain. It just shows us how to handle the reality of life the way it truly is. We will still suffer the same types of problems as non-Christians, but we have a proven pathway on which to think these things through and act appropriately.
Rather than giving up, the wise person will choose to seek truth and righteousness. We choose to continue seeking God and persevering in our faith through whatever fate or calamity may befall us. This is wisdom. And wisdom has its own rewards. They are clearly listed in the some of the passages above and all throughout the bible we are taught the high value of gaining wisdom and turning away from foolishness.
We will absolutely continue to have our trials when we follow Christ. The bible promises that we will all have our trials and tribulations. Our problems won’t go away because we are following Jesus. But it is still best to follow Him. He is our hope, not this short experience of life on earth. And he has provided a guidebook on how to get the most out of our short journey through this planet. What other author has the clout that the Lord Almighty holds? He is after all, the Author and Finisher of our faith. And he authored the bestselling book of all time! Dust off that bible, commit to gaining more wisdom today.
Dear Father God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, let us remember that you have written the words that are the most important for us to know. We are assailed by promises of riches and happiness every day. They come to us in every form of media imaginable. Help us break through the chaos and remember that we are yours and you have given us the wisdom we need to survive. We wish to hold fast to the wisdom you offer us through your words. Thank you for the book of Proverbs that shows us what godly living truly looks like. Help us follow the wisdom you have offered to us so freely. Help us remember that your scriptures are the best place to find what we seek when we are confused and just don’t know what to do next. You truly are a Good, Good Father and we praise you for your faithfulness to provide for us even in these most confusing of times.
In Jesus Holy Name we pray,
Amen.
