Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them to understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young.
Proverbs 1:3-4
Wisdom. What is it exactly? There are those who claim that wisdom is only for the old and grey. Others that wisdom is learned through education and schooling. And still others that say wisdom is gained through supernatural means. Where does wisdom really come from?
The True Source
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
The book of Proverbs talks a lot about people who are fools and people who are wise. I know at one time or another all of us have been offended or our feelings have been hurt reading it. But, in that time when you were hurt or offended; did God's word start seeping into your mind? The knowledge you just couldn't shake off? You actually wanted to know more what God had to say?
We all want to be wise don't we (there is the exception of those who don't care)? To be able to know what the situation calls for. The one that everyone seeks, for advice. It would be splendid to be the wise man or woman whose advice people traveled far and wide to seek. But, that's not gonna happen. What did the verse above just say? Verse seven. The beginning of knowledge is fear of the Lord. No, it's not being afraid of God and hiding from Him scared. It's having a holy and healthy fear of God. Knowing who He is, that He created you and knows you and all the secrets of the world. That He is all powerful, all knowing and all seeing.
Wisdom Shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: " How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish mocking? How long will you hate knowledge? Come and listen to my counsel. I'll share my heart with you and make you wise."
Proverbs 1:20-23
Wisdom here is shown to be a woman crying out for people to listen to her, to get to know and understand her. That is an example of the heart of God. Jesus was like this. He beckoned for people to come and listen to Him, to get to know and understand Him. A lot of people listened. A lot rejected Him. Let's take a look at what the word "simpleton" means, hmm?
Simpleton-A foolish or gullible person.
Know anybody like that? Are you like that? Do you believe whatever new diet plan or pill that is shoved into your lap? Do you drink in the gossip in magazines? Do you mindlessly buy the latest gadget? Or how about when it comes to relationships, do you believe every single man or woman that tells you they love you? No matter how many times you've been terribly hurt? Even deeper, do you trust in politicians? Their honey words and sweet speech? It's all there. Proverbs talks about wisdom with discernment between faithful love and inappropriate desire. About being teachable, and being distasteful. Honesty and hatred. It even talks about compassion for animals! If you need clarity about something in your life, read Proverbs.
You can try as hard as you can to be wise. You could even try being a good person. Minding your manners. Eating your vegetables and going to church for good measure. No, my friend, God is the beginning of wisdom. James 1:5-6 says, 'If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
That says it all. If you ask God for advice and want to hear what He says, good! But if you become impatient and end up seeking another means (a person, or anything else) of gaining the wisdom you seek then, you are the person it talks about. As well, God is not a genie in a bottle. You can't go to God and ask Him whatever you want and expect Him to answer or give it to you like you deserve it, and that includes wisdom. If your heart isn't right, if you seek God's knowledge on how to hurt others, or selfish means of gaining wealth, etc., God will withhold it from you. But, even if your heart is completely in the right place and you want to glorify God with all your heart; sometimes God still may withhold from you whatever you asked of Him. And that is why part of wisdom is patience. Think of Jesus. He was God in the flesh. Wisdom in the flesh. One of the only things I know of that Jesus asked God for was that the cup He had to bear would pass Him. But He knew, He knew very well that if that came to pass, all of humanity would be condemned to Hell. And that is why He said, "Not my will, but yours be done."
That is the beginning of wisdom. Wanting not what we want, but what God wants.
Wisdom. What is it exactly? There are those who claim that wisdom is only for the old and grey. Others that wisdom is learned through education and schooling. And still others that say wisdom is gained through supernatural means. Where does wisdom really come from?
The True Source
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
The book of Proverbs talks a lot about people who are fools and people who are wise. I know at one time or another all of us have been offended or our feelings have been hurt reading it. But, in that time when you were hurt or offended; did God's word start seeping into your mind? The knowledge you just couldn't shake off? You actually wanted to know more what God had to say?
We all want to be wise don't we (there is the exception of those who don't care)? To be able to know what the situation calls for. The one that everyone seeks, for advice. It would be splendid to be the wise man or woman whose advice people traveled far and wide to seek. But, that's not gonna happen. What did the verse above just say? Verse seven. The beginning of knowledge is fear of the Lord. No, it's not being afraid of God and hiding from Him scared. It's having a holy and healthy fear of God. Knowing who He is, that He created you and knows you and all the secrets of the world. That He is all powerful, all knowing and all seeing.
Wisdom Shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: " How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish mocking? How long will you hate knowledge? Come and listen to my counsel. I'll share my heart with you and make you wise."
Proverbs 1:20-23
Wisdom here is shown to be a woman crying out for people to listen to her, to get to know and understand her. That is an example of the heart of God. Jesus was like this. He beckoned for people to come and listen to Him, to get to know and understand Him. A lot of people listened. A lot rejected Him. Let's take a look at what the word "simpleton" means, hmm?
Simpleton-A foolish or gullible person.
Know anybody like that? Are you like that? Do you believe whatever new diet plan or pill that is shoved into your lap? Do you drink in the gossip in magazines? Do you mindlessly buy the latest gadget? Or how about when it comes to relationships, do you believe every single man or woman that tells you they love you? No matter how many times you've been terribly hurt? Even deeper, do you trust in politicians? Their honey words and sweet speech? It's all there. Proverbs talks about wisdom with discernment between faithful love and inappropriate desire. About being teachable, and being distasteful. Honesty and hatred. It even talks about compassion for animals! If you need clarity about something in your life, read Proverbs.
You can try as hard as you can to be wise. You could even try being a good person. Minding your manners. Eating your vegetables and going to church for good measure. No, my friend, God is the beginning of wisdom. James 1:5-6 says, 'If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
That says it all. If you ask God for advice and want to hear what He says, good! But if you become impatient and end up seeking another means (a person, or anything else) of gaining the wisdom you seek then, you are the person it talks about. As well, God is not a genie in a bottle. You can't go to God and ask Him whatever you want and expect Him to answer or give it to you like you deserve it, and that includes wisdom. If your heart isn't right, if you seek God's knowledge on how to hurt others, or selfish means of gaining wealth, etc., God will withhold it from you. But, even if your heart is completely in the right place and you want to glorify God with all your heart; sometimes God still may withhold from you whatever you asked of Him. And that is why part of wisdom is patience. Think of Jesus. He was God in the flesh. Wisdom in the flesh. One of the only things I know of that Jesus asked God for was that the cup He had to bear would pass Him. But He knew, He knew very well that if that came to pass, all of humanity would be condemned to Hell. And that is why He said, "Not my will, but yours be done."
That is the beginning of wisdom. Wanting not what we want, but what God wants.
