The Way of Wisdom

Introduction: The Way of Wisdom

Scripture: Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs 1:7 NIV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Last week we introduced:

The beginning of wisdom---IS:

A healthy fear (of a)

A powerful LORD

Fear (healthy reverence) + LORD (all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present) = Wisdom

but a

fool despises wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 14:2 NIV

2 Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

This verse assures us that there is a way to walk wisely— and there is a way to walk foolishly. What are the differences? How can we make the wise choices each day that God wants? We want to walk uprightly! We want God’s success!

There is an overwhelming amount of instruction and learning available in this book. More than you can imagine. You can indeed SEEK out more wisdom. It’s something we grow in— if we apply ourselves.

But it is not “Law”— it is actually not “Prophecy”— those are different types of scripture.

The book of Proverbs often deals in “probability”.

There are exceptions— but generally: ‘If this, then this.’

Wisdom applied to our lives is a continuous action. It sets a course for our life.

I was visiting with a good friend this week— and we remembered the great illustration on how just a small alteration in your course, can make a huge difference later on.

It’s actually a navigational “rule of thumb”—

It’s called the 1 in 60 rule:

It’s a mathematical phenomena that if I were to travel just 1 degree off course for 60 miles, I will end up 1 mile away from my original destination.

Think of it like this triangle:

[create slide pic]

Can you imagine making even just a small mistake in the way you lived your life, and then leaving it that way for maybe like 20-30-40 years? Where would you end up?

Think of the “auto-pilot” phenomena— if we were to just set it— and forget it...

I think there are two different ways we could miss the mark— did we know that we were off, even just by a little bit?

Or did we actively know that we were off--- but we justify being off just that little bit— (because it was so small)— but later on, we come to the realization that it was a huge mistake.

I want us to consider the difference between wisdom guiding your life— or foolishness guiding your life? Are there characteristics of a wise person that can be described? What are they, and how do we pursue them? How can we prevent the alarming realization that we were “slightly off” for a period of time, and re-direct our life toward living a Godly life?

Proverbs 2:6–7 (NIV)

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,

What a tragedy to think that we would live our lives a certain way— for a long time, and end up in a place where we never wanted to be— either by ignorance (meaning we didn’t even know we were off)— or by willingly choosing not to embrace learning and understanding from God.

I. A wise person is teachable.

a. The wise actively seek God's wisdom: (9:8, 9:9, 10:8, 17:10)

Proverbs 9:8 NIV

8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.

The wise actively seek wisdom from God through prayer, study of His Word, and a life of humility toward others.

Just for you children— listen carefully—

Proverbs 15:5 NIV

5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

Proverbs 10:8 NIV

8 The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Proverbs 17:10 NIV

10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.

Proverbs 9:9 NIV

9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

b. The foolish reject God’s wisdom and instruction: (1:22, 12:15)

Proverbs 1:22 NIV

22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

They rely on their own understanding and resist guidance.

Proverbs 5:12–13 NIV

12 You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! 13 I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.

Proverbs 5:14 NIV

14 And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.”

Proverbs 12:15 NIV

15 The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.

Proverbs 14:16 NIV

16 The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

The foolish are often careless and reckless, ignoring the consequences of their actions. They act impulsively without considering the potential outcomes.

II. The wise person is self-aware.

Self-awareness versus Self-focused, or even self-reliant.

There’s a funny saying out there in leadership teachings— “We all have spinach in our teeth, the question is whether we know it or not”. Meaning that we all have faults and failures— and an extremely valuable strategy to overcoming them— is first to be aware of them.

It’s one thing to have errors— problems and blind spots in our thinking and personality—(i.e. spinach in your teeth!) but its a real tragedy if you don’t know what they are— or are in denial that you even have them. A wise person will be aware of themselves, and will consider how best to work on those shortfalls.

“What’s it like being on the other side of me?”

Here’s a great interview question… (I’ve actually never used it, but can you imagine if you might have been asked questions that are similar to this:)

“Tell me about your own character.”

How might you answer that question?

There are three key aspects to the answer: Do I know my own limitations? Do I consider the consequences of my actions? And Do I live knowing that I need guidance from God?

Proverbs 14:8 NIV

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.

prudent: (a-rum’) “wise to future outcomes, clever, cunning”

To give thought to your ways. To consider the consequences— or the results of your actions.

The deception here is really a “self-inflicted” deceit— this person has fooled themselves! Think about this with regard to our three “Self awareness” questions--

deception: (mir-mah’) “trick, fraud, betray”

If I mis-calculate my own limits— I’ve deceived myself, and will suffer for it. I do this frequently— it’s rooted in a pride or self-reliance. I then often let people down. I’ve deceived them and myself.

If I haven’t really considered what the consequences of my actions are— I’ll deal with the results later.

If I don’t actually believe that I need God’s help— I will be deceived into thinking that it’s all on me.

The prudent show wisdom by giving thought to their actions. (14:8, 14:15)

Proverbs 14:15 NIV

15 The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.

Maybe you’ve heard — or even had this conversation between a parent and child:

(son, daughter) “Why did you do this?”

“Everyone was doing it!”

“Well if everyone was jumping off a cliff, would you do it too?”

There is medical/physical evidence in science that there is indeed a section of the brain that helps us make these types of decisions— it’s called the frontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for executive functions such as impulse control, decision-making, and planning, is often one of the last regions to reach full maturation.

This portion of the brain continues to develop into the early twenties and, in some cases, beyond.

The foolish person believes they already know everything.(18:2, 14:7, 28:26)

Proverbs 18:2 NIV

2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.

The wisdom of God leads us to shy away from people like this also. It’s really hard to relate to someone who won’t listen, isn’t working on self-awareness, and frankly is wrong.

Proverbs 14:7 NIV

7 Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

Proverbs 28:26 NIV

26 Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

This last scripture speaks to self-reliance. If we overestimate ourselves, we often struggle with pride and isolation. This is a nice lead in to our last characteristic of a wise person:

III. A wise person lives in community with Godly friends.

Proverbs 13:20 NIV

20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

a. Wisdom is best obtained through interaction with like-minded companions. (24:6, 27:17)

Proverbs 24:6 NIV

6 Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV

17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

b. Foolish people often are left alone and isolated.(1:30, 29:1)

Proverbs 1:30–31 NIV

30 Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

Proverbs 29:1 NIV

1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Sometimes the words of Jesus himself— as he taught in parables and metaphors—are very difficult to understand and apply:

A key area of Jesus’ teaching on wisdom and foolishness is Matthew 7.

Matthew 7:24–27 “24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.””

This echoes the tone and language of Proverbs. Jesus is the wisdom of God. He speaks the instruction, and we should listen carefully and “build” upon Him. The wise person lives in peace, even when the storms come— while the foolish person lives in anxiety, fear, and ultimately will not last through the storms.

It is an unfortunate turn of events when a young boy is forced to grow up without a loving father. Thus was a young English boy’s fate. His name was Robert, and he was born on Sept. 27, 1735, in Swaffum England. His father passed away when he was only eight years of age.

As soon as Robert was old enough, he secured a job and endured the hardship of having to be the breadwinner for his widowed mother and himself. There was an adult-like quality deeply ingrained in him early, and it allowed him to accept the responsibilities of adulthood, even as a teenager.

As he grew older, he came under the influence of the famed evangelist, George Whitfield. On Dec. 10, 1755, Robert could not push from his mind a particular phrase used by Mr. Whitfield in one of his sermons, and He was wondrously converted and became a minister of the gospel

In one location his congregation grew to 1,000 in attendance. He wrote sermons and songs— some of which still endure today.

Unfortunately, and for some unexplained reason, Robert became altogether unstable and unhappy, depressed. His Christian beliefs and training seemed to have little impact on him anymore— He left the faith and his ministry behind as an older man.

Then on one occasion, years later, he found himself, by a divine appointment--- the fellow passenger of a young lady on a stagecoach. It is reported that she began to sing to break the monotony of the trip. And what did she sing? A song that had this powerful lyric:

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love.

Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

That is of course the Hymn “Come Thou Fount”— Number 310 in our Red hymnal—

As she finished singing, the young woman asked Robert Robinson what he thought about the song. His startling reply was: “Madam, I am the unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago; and, I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, if I could feel now as I felt then.”

Regret— what a wonderful, but horrible thought, that God would use the song that this same man wrote to call him back again!

Our leaders are going to come up and help you sing this great hymn— let’s not live with Regret—lets not end up in places where we never intended to be--- lets seek after wisdom together.