Why is it important to give wisdom your full attention? Because God revealed His wisdom when He created the earth and everything in it and wired wisdom into the cosmos. It defines our reality, our human identity, purpose, it is the standard of our morality, and its application determines our destiny - pointing us to life both now and for eternity.
Listening to and walking according to wisdom’s ways is what forms our character and equips us with what we need for a dynamic, spiritual life and godly character.
God’s wisdom will always point you back to Himself. And as we read through the passage in Proverbs 8:17 - 36 we’ll discover:
Wisdom’s Fruit
Wisdom’s Foundation
Wisdom’s Final Appeal
Wisdom’s Fruit
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, 21 granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries (Proverbs 8:17-21).
The societal upheavals we are experiencing in this world today are simply the result of years of sowing ideologies and a worldview that seek to redefine reality. It seems these ideologies are more and more becoming the one-world view.
For example, we are seeing the same exact issues on racial equality, social justice, and gender identity everywhere we turn. The fusion of these ideologies and this worldview are redefining human identity, dignity, purpose, morality, while taking the God of the Bible and His wisdom completely out of the picture.
This is why, like never before, we need to listen to the ancient voice of wisdom. Verse 17 says that wisdom loves those who love her and diligently pursue her and so when it comes to our own pursuits we need to pursue wisdom first and foremost.
God promises that everyone who asks Him for wisdom to guide him or her through a decision or circumstance will be given wisdom and given it generously (James 1:5).
“Wisdom is not a new set of rules or a collection of “success formulas””
that anyone can occasionally apply as he or she pleases. But these are ancient truths given by God so that we can live our lives as He, the only wise God, has designed it.
But you will only experience the fruit of Wisdom when you apply these biblical principles to your circumstances. And it is only through God’s strength and grace we can live by these tested, timeless truths.
Solomon, here, is speaking about quality of life. The fruit of your pursuit will be a long and satisfying life which is what God desires. The only way this will happen is when we humble ourselves, ask for His wisdom and then walk in complete dependence on Him.
When you plant wisdom you will yield a wholesome, lasting harvest.
Yield < ûtebûʾātî; = an agricultural metaphor for the inseparable connection between finding wisdom’s virtues and enjoying her benefits.
There is a payday. The question is:
“How will you know if you are pursuing the right type of wisdom?”
You cannot unless you know God’s Word which defines the wisdom that originates with Him.
We see in verse 20 that wisdom always walks in the way of righteousness and in the path of justice. In other words, God’s wisdom shows you where to walk and how to walk, who to associate with, and whom to avoid.
God’s wisdom will always do what is right, just, and fair, it is pure, courteous and considerate, gentle, reasonable, and willing to listen. It is full of compassion and good fruits minus self-righteousness and hypocrisy (James 3:17). This is how you will know if you or others are walking in godly wisdom.
Wisdom provides the strategies that succeed and points us to the source of strength needed to carry them out even, in the face of difficulties and opposition. Daniel served five kings in two empires, and for over 60 years he sought God’s wisdom for seemingly impossible situations and God gave him wisdom.
If you want your life to have meaning, purpose, to make a difference wherever you are in this world, the wisest thing you can do is to pursue wisdom and major in building godly character.
The Foundation of God’s Wisdom
22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, 26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man (Proverbs 8:22-31).
This passage implies that God’s wisdom was involved in every level of creation, from what is below the earth to the highest heavens. From the smallest particle to the largest mountains. As we mentioned earlier, God wired wisdom into the entire cosmos as the inner logic of everything.
So wisdom was how everything started and wisdom explains why everything still works.
If a person wants to get to know God's wisdom, they should get to know creation, not only on a macro scale but on a micro scale. The more you understand the incredible diversity of creation, the more amazed you will be at God's wisdom. Psalm 19:1-4 says,
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world (Psalm 19: 1-4 AMP).
By wisdom, God brought everything into being. He created all the laws of nature, structured every atom, every molecule and brought order and beauty in the universe.
By wisdom God created humankind, wired us, and had a purpose for bringing us into being.
God knew that humankind would fall into sin but in His perfect, unfathomable wisdom, revealed His plan of redemption through sending His son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the world and reconcile us back to Himself.
The Final Appeal of Wisdom
And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. 34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, 36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:32-36)
In the beginning of chapter 8, wisdom is speaking to the masses at the city gate and now she is addressing the next generations. In verse 34, we have three action words:
“listen, watch, and wait. ”
These words instruct us to daily seek wisdom, so she can teach us in whatever situation or environment we may be.
God is saying for those who take every opportunity to listen, watch, and wait for wisdom’s door to open there is a banquet waiting for you on the other side. And God wants us to feast from this bounty because it brings life.
If God in His wisdom could make something out of nothing, if He could bring order in the universe, if He can hold everything together with the word of His power, if He could fill this world with so much life and beauty, think about the implications and outcomes of pursuing and receiving God’s eternal wisdom for your life, in your present situation.
Just think how God in His wisdom can fill your emptiness with such purpose, value and dignity, how He can bring beauty and order in your life right now if you simply ask.
That is the promise found in verse 35 is that whoever finds wisdom finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. The word favor means grace.
“When you seek the Lord He will supply your needs. ”
The word life refers back to the tree of life. Adam and Eve were put into the Garden of Eden to enjoy its abundance and experience fellowship with God Himself.
It was God’s desire that they would freely eat from the fruit of the garden and from the Tree of Life. Instead, they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil, meaning they wanted knowledge and wisdom - but apart from God and they had to go outside of God’s will to get it. What was the result? Physical and spiritual death, destruction and ruin.
Yet God has opened the way for mankind to be restored back into a right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
God’s supreme wisdom is revealed in Jesus who was existing with God before time even existed. He existed [co-eternally] and is co-creator of the universe.
Jesus is the eternal Word. So in order to be truly wise, we must understand the Gospel of Christ - His reconciling the world to Himself and His transformation of the believer’s life back into the Lord’s image. Christ, God’s wisdom, in John 1:10-12,
…was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him - His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own did not receive and welcome Him.
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God (John 1:10-12 AMP).
The wisest decision you could make is to accept Christ as your Savior, the only true, wise God, then discover who and whose you are, and finally what His incredible will is for your life.
When you search for wisdom, for the Person from whom all wisdom comes, then you will truly find life and He will fill your treasuries.
…but he who fails to find me injures himself; and all who hate me love death (Proverbs 8:36).
The writer of Proverbs was appealing to the people to respond to wisdom but he knew that even when people are presented with the opportunity for eternal, abundant life, many defiantly refuse to accept God’s wisdom and ways bringing ultimate injury or destruction upon themselves.
There are multitudes today who have heard the truth but refuse to accept it because they love their own lives, want their own way, are afraid to hear what God, their creator desires for their lives. Even as Christians, we sometimes determine to forge our own paths, our own future, on our own terms, in our own way, according to our own wisdom and strength, it is not the way God designed you and it just doesn't work.
I have found that even after all the pain and heartache their decisions have caused they only cry out to God to deliver them from the consequences so they can continue to live their own way. God calls that foolishness. In the end the writer of Proverbs is saying the price someone pays for rejecting God’s wisdom will be too great and ultimately too costly.
“What is keeping you from searching for and submitting to God’s wisdom?”
Do you think your plan for your life is more rewarding, more exciting than what God has for you? Are you afraid to find out?
I want to encourage you to respond to wisdom’s appeal, let Christ’s light come into every area of your life, think about your foundation for living - is it built on wisdom’s worldview?
