Proverbs 1 A wise person seeks wisdom

A wise person seeks wisdom

Proverbs 1:1–7 (NIV)

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; 3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 2 (NIV)

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. 9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. 12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, 13 who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways, 14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, 15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. 16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words, 17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. (Idolatry)18 Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. 19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. 20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

The land is the promise of God. How do we live in it now that we are here? By doing what is just, right, and fair (Not equal but according to what’s owed). * Interesting parallel: we aren’t being wise to earn the promise, but now that we’ve been given the promise what do we do? * How do we know what is just, right, and fair. It all comes from God so seek it from Him.

Wisdom is external. Not something you create. It belongs to and flows from God.

What’s the result of wisdom?

Proverbs 3:13-18 “13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.”

A peaceful, honorable, wealthy life. How is this not prosperity gospel? What the prosperity gospel gets wrong is not that God wants you to have a good life, it’s defining good. Ironically that’s what seeking God’s wisdom means.

Job’s life is good, Christ’s life is good, the martyrs in church history, all of them have a good life. They had peace with God, they are honored among men, and they inherited pleasure and riches according to the riches of Christ.

Outro

Proverbs 26:6-12 “ 6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison. 7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. 9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 10 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. 12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”

Next week we are going to look at proverbs as a map to wisdom. Proverbs tells you to answer a fool and not answer a fool because it’s not a list of moral rights and wrongs it’s a map. And like a map the direction you head has a lot to do with where you are.

Pr 4:7 “7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

Proverbs is a map to find wisdom

30 sayings to memorize