Roadmap of Life

Proverbs 4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get understanding.”

and whatever you get = and with all your possessions, acquire understanding.

It’s a metaphor for life’s pursuits. Use your assets of time, money, people, everything to get understanding.

In Proverbs, what’s the difference between knowledge, understanding, insight, and wisdom?

Hebrew word for knowledge = Da’at

Genesis 2:9 - Tree of knowledge of good and bad

It’s knowing generally what good is and what bad is. I have that head knowledge and moral awareness.

Hebrew word for understanding or insight = Binah

Proverbs 4:7 - though it cost all you have get understanding

If Da’at gives me the knowledge of what good and bad generally is Binah tells me what’s a good thing and what’s a God thing. Understanding helps me discern what’s the best path to take.

The triliteral root of Binah or understanding is the same root for the word between.

So, understanding and between are connected in Hebrew. Because to have understand is to have the God-given ability to distinguish between two or more things that look similar on the surface. It’s spiritual X-ray vision that helps you read between the lines.

It helps you move from black-and-white to wisely navigating nuance

Hebrew word for wisdom = Hokmah

Proverbs 4:7 - The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom

Hokmah is Proverbs holistically. It’s the applied skill of Godly living. Not just knowing what to do, but actually doing it.

Proverbs 26:17 “Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.”

It’s a practical thing that should be acted out. Don’t mess in some bozos arguments.

Putting it together:

Da’at (knowledge) - is knowing how life works. Knowing what good is and what bad is. Binah (understanding/insight) is then being able to discern what the best choices to make in life are when presented with various good and bad opportunities. Hokmah (wisdom) is then the proper execution of my understanding.

Here’s the crazy part. Proverbs always positions wisdom before understanding in the 11 times they’re paired throughout the book. Why?

If wisdom is the proper execution of my understanding why LITERALLY all 11 times does Proverbs put wisdom before understanding? How can I wisely execute something that I don’t yet understand?

The Bible positions life upside down. The world would tell you you always need to know intellectually the best path before moving forward. The Bible tells me I need to have faith that God has understanding and he will direct my paths forward as I properly execute his instructions. Even when I don’t understand God’s Binah. God’s understanding.

Understanding is the discernment that comes from walking the path God guides you down.

Proverbs 4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and with everything you have, with all your possessions, acquire the ability to discern what’s good and what’s God.

The more I understand, the more I’ll walk God’s path. I’ll take what’s God over what’s good.

Here’s an example. God told me hey brother - move to Seattle. Now I have 0 family here and knew 0 people. But God said go and in wisdom I acted by moving to Seattle not knowing why. After 2 years of living here I have lifelong friends, I’ve been given an opportunity to walk in my spiritual gift of teaching, and have had more acceleration in the last 2 years than I’ve had in the prior 10.

Now looking forward my path of life is still dark, but looking back the path is lit with the knowledge from the mouth of God.

Proverbs 2:6 “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

I can see in the past and have a deeper ability to discern what’s good vs. what’s from God.

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It’s like a map in game. Everywhere I’ve traveled via wisdom with God it’s now lit up on the map of understanding. And everywhere in my future I haven’t traveled it’s dark. And I got to trust God that he knows. Sometimes a lamp appears a mile down the road via a prophetic word from the body of Christ giving a bit of understanding and direction. But for much of our life, we act wisely in faith and discern in understanding after.

The saddest thing is seeing someone with 40 years of work service and 1 year of experience.

Think of your career. Imagine never getting a single promotion in 40 years. Never trying to learn new programming languages, not learning managerial skills, learning how to forecast budgets, or mentor younger employees. You got the job but you just stayed doing the same mundane task every day. You’re 65 and about to retire, still a junior engineer, and all your peers are 22 fresh with 1 year of experience. Your friend who started your job at the same time leads an organization of 1,000 people. You thought he was dumb and bashed him to everyone when he went and started his company. Telling him why try. You’re secure, you got the job what else do you want.

The saddest thing is seeing a Christian with 40 years of service and 1 year of experience.

Think of your life. Imagine never progressing in your faith in 40 years. Never exploring your gift of tongues, not using the gift of leadership God put in you, never prophesying , or pastoring young believers. You got saved but you just stayed there. You’re at the end of your life about to pass away, still a baby Christian. Your friend who was saved at the same revival as you leads a church of 1,000 people. You thought he was dumb and bashed him to everyone when he went and started his church. Telling him why try. You’re going to heaven, why do you have to make everything about Jesus?

That’s sad.

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Wisdom is NOT gained by age.

Proverbs 3:13–14 “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.”

You find wisdom in God. You get understanding in life.

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord

The cultivation of wisdom is the understanding of God’s heart

If someone is giving me instructions to climb Mt. Rainier:

I need to listen

I need to believe they have the best intentions for me

I need to trust them

I need to execute the instructions, regardless if I understand why

If God is giving me wisdom to climb the mountain of life:

I need to listen via prayer and God’s word

I need to believe God has the best intentions for me

I need to trust God’s heart and know his love

I need to execute His instructions, regardless if I understand why

When you do this, you’ll grow in wisdom. Who needs instructions to climb Mt. Rainier if they never actually climb it. Who needs biblical wisdom if they never actually use it.

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Proverbs 4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and with everything you have, with all your possessions, acquire the ability to discern what’s good and what’s God.”

We are born with a level of Da’at (knowledge) - knowing how life works. Knowing what good is and what bad is.

God is the eternal source of Hokmah (wisdom). Only in his hokmah will we walk the proper path.

Worldly wisdom is gained through years of life

Biblical wisdom is gained through years of biblical experience

Then though it cost you everything you have, acquire understanding.

Understand God’s love through Jesus

Understand your purification by Jesus

Understand your identity in Jesus

Understand your calling from Jesus

So that you make walk wisely with Jesus.

That’s understanding.

What word is God highlighting to you today?

God’s Love? Purification? Identity? Calling?

Take that word, and prescribe action to it.