We are beginning this series in the book of Proverbs which is known as the wisdom literature section of the Bible. Because as a church, we not only want to know about God and the Bible, we want to be known as a people who walk with God and in truth, who display His character and nature, who love each other and love the lost.
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4 To give prudence to the naïve, To the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise person will hear and increase in learning, And a person of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a saying, The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:1-7, NASB).
The purpose for the book of Proverbs is to:
Deepen our Character
Develop our Discernment
Guide our Growth
Direct us to God
Deepen our Character
The first step to deepening our character is by knowing wisdom - “to know” wisdom not only means to become conscious of it but also to observe it, to realize it, and to experience it.” You experience wisdom by applying it.
“God wants us to ask Him for wisdom and promises to give it generously to us. Why?”
Because wisdom brings order and stability into our lives, in our relationship with Him and with others.
Having God’s wisdom means being able to choose the best course of action, among all the available options to navigate life. Therefore, the book of Proverbs represents God’s wisdom for the myriad of situations we step into each day.
It’s practical counsel from God for weak people like us stumbling through daily complexities of life. It is His strength for the weak, His warning to the proud, His mercy for the broken, His hope for the discouraged and defeated. The book of Proverbs is the gospel, it is good news so getting wisdom should be one of our top priorities.
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment (Proverbs 4:7, NLT).
The second step in deepening our character is through receiving instruction which means to be teachable in every area of life.
We are never too old or educated to learn from God or from our brothers and sisters in Christ or from life experiences - in fact we will need to continue gaining instruction and wisdom for every phase of our lives.
Receiving instruction means taking all that you have learned through your experiences, from those older and/or wiser that you, i.e., your teachers, mentors, parents, and especially from the Lord God Himself and taking to heart that wisdom and instruction by pondering on it, learning from it, and putting it into practice.
Develop our Discernment
Discernment means to see distinctions, to perceive differences. Discernment means knowing what’s going on around you, having the ability to read people and situations correctly. It means seeing through someone’s words or statements and
“being able to get to the heart of a matter.”
In verse 3 of Proverbs 1, we see that Solomon is saying that it is through receiving instruction and discipline that the student acquires something worth having. Discernment is the effective capability to distinguish the differences between what is true and false, good and the bad (1 Kings 3:9), what is wise and foolish, wholesome and the harmful.
Guide our Growth
That prudence (good judgment, astute common sense) may be given to the naïve or inexperienced [who are easily misled], And knowledge and discretion (intelligent discernment) to the youth,
The wise will hear and increase their learning, And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth], (Proverbs 1:4-5)
Inexperienced people are neither wise or foolish yet; instead, they are open to instruction in wisdom or in folly. They are gullible and usually believe the latest thing they have heard. They are easily enticed or persuaded for good or for evil.
Solomon’s desire is to give anyone who is young or inexperienced the ability to have intelligent discernment that sees the reasons, motivations, source behind things. People with this kind of wisdom can think their way through complex matters and see what lies behind them, see underlying issues, and thereby make wise decisions. They can foresee evil and make smart choices to avoid the traps of life (Proverbs 13:16, 22:3).
So we see that the first group Solomon is addressing is the young, the naïve or inexperienced. In verse 5, we see a second group - those who are truly wise. They will hear and increase in learning, and not only seek for and obtain wise counsel but use this counsel to steer his or her course wisely.
These are the ones, no matter what their age or rank in life, that have the humility to realize they still have a lot to learn and a long way to go before they graduate from the school of wisdom. In fact, wisdom for them is a lifelong pursuit.
What characterizes a wise person is that they are good listeners, they pay attention to instruction, receive correction, and seek wise counsel.
The word counsel is related to the verb “to steer a ship.” Counsel is wise guidance that moves one’s life in the right direction. As God’s children, we need to listen to His wise counsel which is found throughout the Scriptures. How many have listened to and followed foolish counsel or don’t listen to any counsel?
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a person who listens to advice is wise (Proverbs 12:15, NASB).
The psalmist wrote, “In thy light we see more light” (Psalm 36:9). If we search for the truth behind everything, looking at the implications of what we discover, I believe the truth will lead us to the One who is the source of Truth.
Direct us to God (the source of all true Wisdom)
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline (Proverbs 1:1-7, AMP).
This verse is believed by many theologians to be the key that unlocks Proverbs.
“The key to having wisdom is knowing God. ”
The more we know about God the more we are in awe of Him and His mighty works. The fear of the Lord is that sense of awe that the Lord God is infinitely holy, infinitely powerful and sovereign. He is to be revered and feared. He is first in all things.
Wisdom is respecting God for who He is, listening carefully to what He says, and obeying His Word. It is the conclusion Solomon came to in Ecclesiastes, another wisdom literature book in the canon of Scriptures:
But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out. That’s the whole story, Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 NLT).
“This is where true wisdom begins - with the fear of the Lord.”
The writer of Proverbs is talking about knowledge that informs and directs our everyday decisions - this is wisdom that works. There is no divide between the sacred and the secular - our everyday decisions are to be made in reverence of the Lord, in fact, our decisions throughout the day reveal if we are walking in the fear of the Lord, in obedience to His will.
In contrast, we see that fools despise skillful and godly wisdom and self-discipline. So the problem with the fool is not his or her IQ but their arrogance and self-confident conceit.
According to this passage, what makes him or her a fool is their refusal to acknowledge God as the Author of truth and who, by His wisdom, created the universe and holds every molecule together. In fact, they place little or no value on knowing Him.
