Free Advice to Make you Supremely Wise (Proverbs 3 – 9)
Consider a child with a stuffy (blanket, lovey, etc.) that they love with all their heart? Not only is it their ultimate source of comfort and security in the world, but it helps them get through the good days and bad. Proverbs advises us to treat wisdom in a similar manner in order to become truly wise.
Back in Proverbs 2, the writer implores us to ask for, look for, and search for wisdom, then we will find the knowledge of God. A truly wise person recognizes that obtaining even a portion of God’s knowledge vastly outweighs worldly wisdom.
all is lost
It’s never too late to start….
Download your first two weeks free by signing up below (or buy Book One of the Family Bible Plan)!
Do not forget…
What happens when that child’s stuffy gets left behind at the park? The stuffy was forgotten and the child is in despair over the loss. Much like wisdom, Proverbs tells us to not forget. Sound familiar to what the Israelites were told over and over?
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart.
Proverbs 3:1
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Proverbs 4:5
To be wise begins with remembering and keeping God’s teachings. There is a sense of despair when these items had been in our lives but were forgotten. As we carry on through our day-to-day, let us ground our motives and actions with Biblical truth that we are called to remember.
Can wisdom be found?
Wisdom is personified as a person, as though it could be lost, found, or capable of being in a relationship. Oftentimes, personification helps us understand on a personal level what the author is trying to convey, tying in an emotional aspect for us to further grasp a concept.
A wise man is considered blessed when wisdom is found.
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding….
Proverbs 3:13
Wise people are those who have found wisdom.
I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me find Me.
Proverbs 8:17
For those who find Me find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find Me harm themselves; all who hate Me love death.”
Proverbs 8:35-36
Wiser people are those who recognize the symbolism represented here of finding wisdom means they have first found God. It is only through that relationship that true wisdom is given.
Finding Wisdom…
But just how do you find it? When that stuffy goes missing, a Mom would travel the path she knew she traveled. The busyness of packing up to head home, that bump in the sidewalk, the pothole in the road that jerked the stroller wonky, the smooth space where your mind started wondering….
Analyze your life, accept rebuke for errors you have made, learn, and change. Analyze the result of rejecting a rebuke versus accepting one.
REJECTING REBUKE
Repent at My rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you My teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all My advice and do not accept My rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
Proverbs 1:23-27, emphasis added
ACCEPTING REBUKE
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son He delights in.
The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.
Proverbs 3:11-12, 33-35
Finding wisdom includes a personal relationship with God, as well as a continual desire, a searching out, for a relationship with Him. We accomplish the second part most easily through diligent and disciplined study of His word which, in turn, deepens our relationship with Him. The wise are drawn to the Scriptures to study for it is there that the ultimate treasure is found.
I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me find Me.
Proverbs 8:17
Straight and narrow…
Much of our lives are lived out on different paths and we choose the path we head down. The paths are different but are obvious once wisdom is obtained. The path of the Lord is for the wise, the narrow path that few take. It is one that Godly wisdom advises you forward with your ultimate good at heart.
Proverbs guides us as we seek His word.
Seek out straight paths.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
Proverbs 4:11
Refrain from even stepping foot on an evil path.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
Proverbs 4:14-15
Keep to a path far from [an adulterous woman/sin], do not go near the door of her house….
Proverbs 5:8
Be careful where you step and know where you are heading (ultimately, Heaven).
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-27
Do not let your heart turn to [an adulterous woman’s/sin’s] ways or stray into her paths.
Proverbs 7:25
I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice….
Proverbs 8:20
God knows our every step.
For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all your paths.
Proverbs 5:21
A motto that should hold fast to every area in our lives… why not grab a daily reminder to boast of Our King!
Is it a hidden treasure to be wise…
In this world, it is to be treasured more than silver or gold as it is a rare thing to find one who is wise under God’s guidance. But it is also a free gift, boldly standing as an offer that we often choose to ignore.
Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech….
Proverbs 1:20-21
Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind….”
Proverbs 8:1-4
Are you listening? The gift of wisdom is readily available for all. Yet sometimes that is not enough. Seeking His kingdom is an active choice. It is not passive.
God wants us to seek Him, for there we will find Him; when He is found, He offers us a wisdom the world rejects. It is there that the wise are made.
Consider your life as though a child’s the way they seek and crave their stuffy. Do you have that same level of desire for God? Has God imparted wisdom in your life?
Last Week
Anchored Truth Tuesdays
~It is appreciated but not required that you follow my social media accounts
~A new Anchored Abode podcast (iTunes) has been started, and I would love for subscribers and positive reviews (SoundCloud)
~I do ask that you use the Anchored Truth Tuesdays logo above on your site somewhere or on the post itself; if you click on the picture above a new window will open with html instructions
~ Family friendly posts only (I reserve the right to delete any that are deemed inappropriate); with a direct link to a specific blog post
~It is appreciated if you spread the blogging love to those around you in the Anchored community by visiting their sites, following them, or liking/sharing posts
~We have a Pinterest group board, Anchored Truth Tuesdays, where all who link up are welcome to also upload their content–you’ll just need to like Anchored Abode first, and then request to join
~By submitting a link, you are agreeing to be added to our email list as well as allowing the use of pictures/content as featured posts on our social media accounts
How I long for wisdom and pray that my kids will have more than I have had.
Love that Ryle quote.