THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2012
Proverbs
Today’s proverbs highlight the supreme value of wisdom:
“How much better to get wisdom that gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!” (16:16)
We live in an information-saturated world. The 24-hour news cycle, millions of blogs, billions of interpersonal relationships, and trillions of pieces of statistical data create a tangled Web of information. It can be overwhelming just to consider all of the possible pieces of information we might process in a single day. The world sends information like a firehose; indeed, we may all have experienced some form of information or sensory overload in the past year, month, or day. Coming to reliable conclusions despite the noise becomes more challenging as the number of pieces of data rises.
In contrast to this worldly knowledge, however, stands wisdom. As we may infer from these verses, only God can give wisdom. It is a marvelous gift that gives life and allows us to bless others. It helps to put life into perspective and allows us to determine the proper priorities. A key verse reminds us:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.” (3:5,6)
To handle wisdom, we need a discerning heart and listening ear:
“Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.” (23:12)
We may see from other verses that it is imperative for us to seek out wisdom, much in the way that we must intentionally seek after God. Wisdom will not just fall into our laps; rather, we must strive to obtain and live out this wisdom. Wisdom clearly does not come when we seek to dominate conversations or flatter ourselves. Instead, wisdom comes to the humble and the patient – to those willing to listen. This humility may be summed up in this verse:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (9:10)
Wisdom then imparts the grace that we need to understand and treasure God’s sovereignty. We may plan for the future, like good stewards of the time and talents God has given us, but ultimately:
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (19:21)
Having considered these proverbs quite a few times, I find myself struck by the amazing heart of truth and grace in each of these morsels. These words are indeed a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). Through the devotional Jesus Calling, we may even hear the Lord Himself whispering these truths into our hearts and minds. G. K. Chesteron once explained that “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.” We may easily insert “God’s wisdom” into this statement.
While God does not promise freedom from pain, we should actively pursue His loving Word so that we may live out of wisdom rather than folly. I found one of today’s verses particularly poignant: “A man’s own folly ruins his life,/ yet his heart rages against the Lord.” (19:3) In His grace, God has provided a refuge to the faithful: “He who trusts in himself is a fool,/ but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.” (28:26)
From Romans 8:28,29, we know that His will is ultimately for the best and that we may become conformed to His likeness: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
QUESTIONS
- How may you better apply the promised value of wisdom?
“By wisdom a house I built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.” (24:3,4)
- For your life, what does it mean: “in all your ways, acknowledge him?” How may you practice this concept?
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