All Things Considered

All Things Considered

Proverbs 4:20-27

May 11, 2008

Theme: Guide all things with wisdom, and wisdom will give all things to you.

Background of Text: The Book of Proverbs is a handbook for experiencing shalom, the blessing of God. While the genre of proverb does not guarantee that health, wealth, safety, and harmony will attend obedience, it does speak generally and truthfully that those who think according to God's revealed truth and act according to his revealed counsel will experience "life as he intends"—shalom. This text addresses young people. While "youth" is not defined in the Bible by age, but rather by status (married or not, living at home or not), these verses describe how children, the inexperienced and naïve, should give their bodies (eyes, ears, mouth and feet) to wisdom in order to experience "life."

Subject: Advice to young people about how to follow God and experience his shalom.

Introduction

· Be careful little eyes… first the ear, then the eyes, and, most important of all, the heart. Only after these organs are operating correctly will “life” (v 23) be secured.

· Considering every aspect of life, the Teacher gives us the way of wisdom. Proverbs are like: Look before you leap. Proverbs are challenging to understand: they are not legal guarantees from God, 2) must be read as a collection, 3) are worded to be memorable and not theologically accurate.

· Let me tell you a story ‘bout a man named Jed. Get wisdom!

· Guide all things with wisdom, and wisdom will give you all things. a personal spiritual inventory to see if we’re really living in obedience to the Lord. Let’s ask ourselves: what about the ears, the eyes, the heart, the mouth and the feet.

I. Guide all things with wisdom.

A. Give your ears to wisdom. Listen! In other words, listen up! (v. 20) "Give" means to extend, like an antenna. Application: Young people should listen well to this sermon, their parents, and the voice of God through their conscience.

B. Give your eyes to wisdom. Look! In other words, look up! (v. 21a) Pay attention to, think about, and focus on God and his wisdom. Application: Read the Word and good books like The Chronicles of Narnia.

C. Give your heart to wisdom. Center of receiving and producing.

Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34

For from within, out of your hearts… Mark 7:21 all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.” Mark 7:23 The Message

In other words, set a guard around it! (v. 23) "Keep" (v. 21)—In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, the safest place to be was deep in the fortress of Helm's Deep, in a room called the "Keep." "Heart" means the inner person. "Wellspring" refers to an underground source of water, which is precious in a dry climate.

D. Give your mouth to wisdom. Talk!

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. James 5:5 In other words, put away bad speech patterns! (v. 24) “Perversity" means crooked, or twisted. Application: We need to eliminate complaining (contrast to thanking), sassing (contrast to honoring), dirty talk (contrast to clean speech), and blaming others (contrast to taking responsibility). Illustration: When you clean your room, you "put away" the mess.

E. Give your eyes and your feet to wisdom. Walk! In other words, look ahead to walk straight! (vv. 25-27)
The theme of two roads/choices is common in the Book of Proverbs.
Illustration: Robert Frost's poem, "Two Roads."

Transition: What happens when we give ourselves to wisdom?

II. Wisdom will give all things to you.

A. Responsible, successful life was the goal of the proverbs. Justin talks about “eternal life” with youth.

Wise as in “hokmah” in OT Nothing to do with your I.Q.

B. Wisdom will give you Shalom. Your success or failure with the tongue will go a long way in determining whether or not you will dwell in the valley of shalom.

C. Wisdom will give all things because God gives wisdom. “his heart had turned away from the Lord” 1 Kgs 11:3–4, 9 It is remarkable that God is never mentioned in this fervent appeal “to walk the walk.” But the tone is as urgent as in the speeches of Moses or the prophets. There is no question but that the figure of God/the Lord lurks behind these chapters. The choice between life and death, good and evil, is no different from the same choice of wisdom.

Conclusion

· The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.