Wisdom - The Clue to Worldview

Welcome

Stickers, T-shirts

AR District Camp Meeting

We are waiting on an expectation.

We can have Sis. LaRue come up and play “I’m Looking for a Miracle” today and all shout, hoop, and holler. But are we really looking and expecting the miraculous afterwards?

Intro

Recap

I’m going to return to teaching about wisdom today. This is a series that I’m calling The Divine Nature of Wisdom.

You recall, last week we looked at wisdom and the book of Proverbs in a general way, but I listed five “ingredients to wisdom”.

Wisdom Is an Attribute of God That Is Fully Revealed in Jesus

Wisdom is Grounded in the Fear of the Lord

Wisdom Seeks to Live According to the Order That God Has Built into Creation

Wisdom Focuses on Discerning God’s Ways in Particular Circumstances

Wisdom is Rooted in Tradition

Today’s Lesson

Now, we are going to turn to the idea of wisdom’s relationship to our everyday life.

Much of history has treated wisdom as merely an idea, or some mass of information to be acquired by the mind. But biblical wisdom is far more than that.

And you remember that we have already established that the link between wisdom and creation is crucial to a full understanding of biblical wisdom, because it proves wisdom to be much more than something thrown around by the most intelligent people; it’s concerned with all of life - from the ordinary to the extraordinary!

What I want to talk about today is how wisdom is the clue to the Christian worldview and the importance of walking (not just knowing) God’s wise way in his world.

I’ve got four different Proverbs that I want to read today.

Proverbs 1:15 NKJV

15 My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;

Proverbs 2:20 NKJV

20 So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness.

Proverbs 4:14 NKJV

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.

Proverbs 9:6 NKJV

6 Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.

I just want to highlight that each of these are speaking of “ways” to walk.

Wisdom and Worldview

Wisdom as a Totality Concept

You may have heard the term worldview mentioned before. Worldview is the overall framework of someone’s basic belief about things. And when I say things, I mean ALL things.

We need a solid and stable worldview - that outlook, or lens, that we look at everything through.

Have you ever met a person (I’m sure you have) with whom it seems that you have nothing in common with when you talk about things??? Now, I’m not talking about them driving a Ford and you driving a Dodge. And I’m not talking about them being much wealthier than you, or living in a different part of the country. Consider these comments:

“I will never spank my child - that’s child abuse.”

“It’s truly amazing that humans have evolved from primates the way that we have.”

“They are just speaking their truth.”

And the person that swears a lot, who says, “Who determined these words to be bad?! We just perceive them as bad. I’ll say them all I want, it’s just more for my vocabulary.”

The reason that a person can say all of these things and it seems as if they are on a completely different moral planet than you, is because they have a completely different worldview than you do.

People in the world have ALL SORTS of worldviews, and many that do not include God at all. This affects all that they believe, and even how they act.

And we have an absolutely serious need for a guiding overall perspective. It’s a basic need in our lives, maybe even more needed than food or water or sleep!

And EVERYONE has a worldview. No doubt about it. Even the person who says, “I don’t believe in anything.” Yeah you do. That alone is a belief. It’s a worldview that you have chosen to go through life acting on.

So, we need a guiding perspective in life. And that’s where worldview and wisdom intersect. It’s wisdom that brings God, the world, who we are as humans, and our role in God’s world into clear focus. So it really covers a lot of things.

Wisdom is far reaching. There is wisdom to be had in all sorts of things, right? You can find wisdom on your job. Wisdom in your marriage and family. Wisdom in your finances, your dealings. Wisdom in your hobbies and work.

You know, wisdom was first understood in the crafting, skill, and work of people. Even in the Old Testament, there are references to farming and the wisdom that can be used in doing it well:

Isaiah 28:23–29 NKJV

23 Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech. 24 Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? 25 When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place? 26 For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him. 27 For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod. 28 Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen. 29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.

That last verse is quite interesting. The wisdom of good farming is even of God.

You see, everything in life, from farming to relationships, is within the scope of the need for wisdom. I am in no way teaching something irrelevant today. And what Proverbs does, is it suggests that wisdom serves as the lens through which we should view all of life - it’s almost like putting on a pair of eyeglasses to see more clearly!

It’s the worldview that believes that God created all things. And that He’s not part of some committee of men that get together to rule - no, HE’S ONE LORD! It’s the view that He came and poured out His blood in order to give us a second chance! And that there is a power unlike any other that will bring deliverance and cause me to walk right, talk right, and live right in this world! And not only that, this same power gives way to signs and wonders!!!

And it’s through this worldview we look. And because we look through it, we understand the opposite of what that person I mentioned would say:

“I’ll discipline my child, because it’s biblical and godly wisdom - and it works!”

“I’m thankful that God created me in His image!” His image was Jesus, and Jesus was a human - NOT A PRIMATE!

And instead of saying, “They’re speaking their truth.” We would say, “I’m thankful that I’m living THE truth!”

And while another person would try justifying their rotten language, I would say, “I’ve been too blessed to curse!”

And the problem for some of us is, we’ve formally adopted the Christian worldview, and everyone knows that about us, but we don’t act according to that.

Uh-oh.

We believe the core doctrine. We don’t mind saying that. But then, when we’re on the way to work we don’t mind listening to that radio show that makes all the suggestive and nasty comments and jokes all the time...

That’s right. We take off the glasses of our Apostolic worldview that we look at life through… we take them off for that. Put them back on later. But you know what, what gets poured into your heart is always revealed later on.

You can get mad at me if you want. You’re not really getting mad at me, you’re getting mad at truth.

HEY - let me tell you something! This truth, and the worldview that we have, has to SEEP INTO EVERY PART OF US! It needs to affect HOW WE LOOK, WHAT WE SAY, WHERE WE GO, WHAT WE DO!

Some people get the wrong idea about their worship. Get to thinking, Well, I’ve done my worship. And There’s other people around who God has done far more for. I’ll let them worship. And that right there is where your problem is… THE GREATEST MIRACLE HE EVER DID WAS THE MIRACLE WE ALL HAVE RECEIVED! HIS GREATEST MIRACLE WAS THAT HE FORGAVE ME OF MY SINS!!!

And so the person who hasn’t taken off those glasses of Apostolic worldview won’t look around and try to find someone else who can worship in their place or make excuses as to why they shouldn’t… instead, they begin to think about where God has brought them out of and what He’s done!!!

We can’t ever get too far away from what God’s done for us that we allow our worship to become stagnant!!!

Wisdom and Creation

Now, Proverbs, which is quite a captivating book of the Bible, gives us a certain worldview. It’s a view of the world that relates to how God built it and how God intends for people to interact with it.

A person with this wisdom understands creation. Hear this… They understand what God has put together. They understand what God has kept asunder. And they can therefore spot the corruptions, problems, and even abominations that come about because of human violations to God’s creation!

For a lot of people, wisdom is something that lives in the head but never affects the heart or the hands. And it’s most likely a lingering belief of pagan Greek ideas. They prioritized the mind over the rest of the human person.

But biblical wisdom isn’t that way. Definitely, the mind plays a critical role in learning and understanding - both of which are mentioned throughout Proverbs. But the end goal of wisdom is to rightly apply it in all of life - not just knowing it. The skills of loving God and neighbor, upholding justice, knowing when and when not to speak, and more are all evidence of mature biblical wisdom in people who are walking in the ways of God.

And so, I can’t overstate how important wisdom and creation are together. God is where all true wisdom comes from… and it’s by this wisdom that he “founded the earth”...

Proverbs 3:19 NKJV

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;

And so God and His creation are important for a full understanding of wisdom in the world.

There was no “big bang” event that took place, as it is promoted.

But, let’s just say that I believe this idea of The Big Bang Theory that is out there. I’ve got two very important questions that I need you to answer… You say that this big bang is where everything came from and how it exists...

For this “big bang” to take place as it did, where did the materials come from that came together and caused the bang?

And also, by what authority and by what power did they do it?

I mean, you expect me to believe that there was just this massive explosion that caused the world to work as perfectly and precisely as it does? If you believe that that is how this all came about, then consider this… take the raw materials that are used to make this iPad. Put those raw materials in a box, and shake it for an hour. And then, open the box, expecting to see not only a fully assembled, but fully functional iPad.

The chances of that taking place are just as good as the chances of an explosion of unknown materials forming all we know to its precision and detail!

I was talking to a young man once about the existence of God. He was having a tough time with it, and we were talking through some things. And I told him, “I’ll tell you what… go outside and look up in the sky on a clear night, when you can really see the stars. And I want you to ask yourself, ‘How is it that the stars have such consistency to stay in place, and by who’s authority do they have the power to do it?’”

It’s impacting to think about.

I’ve got this app that will show you when the sunset and sunrise will be for any area at any given day. Not only that, you can adjust it to Venice, Italy on January 24th, 2033, and it will show you the exact times for the sunrise, sunset, first light and last light.

And HOW CAN IT BE SO CONSISTENT? I’m no longer talking about the app anymore… How is it that this system of the creation of God can work so seamlessly without need of adjustment? Because it was no explosion or lightning striking a worm in a puddle somewhere - it was the power of Almighty God at work in the creation of the world!!! And we can see this wisdom in His creation today!!!!!

Wisdom as the Clue to Christian Worldview

When we put on this lens of biblical wisdom, it brings all life into clear focus.

Aren’t you thankful that you’ve allowed God to teach you over time??? He’ll give you clarity about life. His wisdom offers hope for those who fear the Lord, so we can walk with confidence. And it goes beyond that...

If you’re a leader in some form… there is a firm and principled foundation to lead with love, uphold justice, and extend honor to all people.

If you’re a parent… there is the surety of blessing that comes with raising children in the ways of the Lord. And although Proverbs doesn’t promise that children will remain faithful to God, it is clear that living according to God’s way is the best way to live in His world and teaching this to our children is the most loving thing parents can do.

And let’s just take it even further… IF it’s true that godly wisdom is a lens for life we can use (the clue to creation!), then if we ask “What is wisdom’s relationship to {blank}?” it should tell us what the way of the Lord is for that part of life.

For example: What is wisdom’s way in finances? Work? Discipling children? Leadership? Friendship? Education?

It’s wisdom that shows us what the right way is in everything.

Walking - Not Just Knowing - God’s Wise Way

Walking the Wise Way

Now, what our responsibility is, is to walk in wisdom’s way in every time and place - because all times and places belong to God.

What could be more ordinary in life than walking? “Walking” appears more than 20 times in the book of Proverbs, and well over 300 times in the entire Bible. Proverbs is not alone in this emphasis on “walking”...

Deuteronomy 10:12 NKJV

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Colossians 1:10 NKJV

10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

But maybe the most significant is John 14:6...

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus not only spoke that there was a way, but that He is the way! And so, following the way, we live in glad obedience to Him.

Now, someone would ask, “How does this wise approach to life relate to the brokenness, hardship, and suffering that we experience?” Could this “wise way” business be too simplistic? Does it account for the ugliness we often find in the world?

Problem and Solution

Well, Proverbs poses a problem. It poses many problems, in fact; but there is one problem greater than the rest that is in need of a solution.

I’m not referring to authenticity concerns or doctrinal questions, or interpretations. The chief problem I’m referring to is the problem of “folly” - the way of wickedness. Folly is another way of life. It’s the ordinary, natural way of humanity without godly wisdom.

In Proverbs, Lady Folly plays a starring role as the adversary to the hero, Lady Wisdom. And you see them both come about in various ways throughout Proverbs. But what might be most significant, is that they are two. They are referenced as two trees (Genesis 2; Psalm 1; Proverbs 11), two women (Proverbs 7, Proverbs 9), two ways (Psalm 1; Proverbs 1). And this tells us a few things about God’s world:

God built choice into his world from the beginning and alerted Adam and Eve in the garden. I’m thankful He gave me the choice in life.

God built limits and boundaries into his world (as illustrated by moral boundaries made clear in the law, as well as by the boundaries between land and sea, heavens and earth). Some people have a problem with this one. We don’t like being told what we can’t or shouldn’t do.

Two ways of living - and only two ways - emerge from the limits and boundaries God built into his world. These two ways are best illustrated in Proverbs as two women: Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. And there is no in between. If you’re not living for God, you’re living in folly.

God built human responsibility into his world, and he calls people to obey him by walking in his ways.

But the heart of this problem, is that humans are not really good at walking in God’s ways. Each of us carry the disease of sin, and so “folly” comes naturally. We like it; we look for it; we invent it; we are addicted to it without realizing it; and - worst of all - we can’t stop it. It’s a real problem. Proverbs 26:11 refers to this in such a crude way...

Proverbs 26:11 NKJV

11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.

It’s in folly that we find comfort, familiarity, and momentary pleasure. But it’s not just some playful mischief… it’s an offense to God.

And the great solution to this massive problem, is that the wisdom of God will break through everything that breaks us! The Good News of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection offers a hope for foolish people!

If we will walk in this path of wisdom in everyday, ordinary life, it will fix our folly, in so many areas!

Though laziness may be naturally appealing to us, wisdom insists, in Proverbs 6:6, “Go to the ant, you lazybones,” to see that hard work is best.

While one may find a neighbor’s wife attractive, wisdom asks in Proverbs 5:20, “Why should you be intoxicated… by another woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?” Instead, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth” (Proverbs 5:18).

Yes, the wisdom of God will fix the folly!

Conclusion

We need the wisdom of God to seep into every part of who we are. We need to decide what our worldview is going to be - and not only talk the talk, but walk the walk!

You know, a few years ago we got new leadership at work. And it was a pretty large change. And when this new manager came around, he came up to me and a friend and began telling all that he planned to do - the changes he was going to make. And my buddy, in his infinite wisdom and wide, wide open mouth, said (as God is my witness), “Well, I’ve seen eight different managers come and go. TALK’S CHEAP.” My mouth hit the floor. And then I melted everywhere. They had to mop me up. I thought we were fired.

But, he was right. Talk is cheap. But the way I live, the way I worship, the way I pray… that speaks volumes.

I’ve determined in my heart that I’m going to pray somehow, no matter what, before each service. Because I’m not interested in just talking about revival and expectations and miracles and moves of God - I’m going to set the atmosphere!