Sermon Tone Analysis

Goal - Answer the question, “How do I become a wise person?”

Purpose - God does not merely call us to admire wisdom; we are told to do everything we can to attain it.

The problem is that for most of us, we do not actually know how to become wise.

Part of our problem stems from our culture’s approach to learning.

If I want to be a doctor, I study to learn as much as I can about the human body.

After time, I learn about how the body works, how medicines can interact with the body to reduce fever, heal infections, etc.

Similarly, if I want to be a mechanic, I study to learn about cars.

I learn about engines, transmissions, fuel systems, etc.

I learn about how to diagnose mechanical problems, disassemble, replace, and then reassemble parts to keep the car running properly.

If I want to become an “everyday millionaire” then there is a technique to follow.

If I want to change the hard-drive on my mac, there is a YouTube video to watch.

If I want to be better at time management, there are seminars to attend.

In our system of education, we learn stuff and work towards the mastery of that particular topic.

As we master what ever it is we are learning, we start to practice that discipline and through experience, become better and better.

So the model is - learn as much as we can about a particular subject, then as an “expert” you can practice what you have learned.

In antiquity, wisdom was not seen as a subject that could be learned, but more as a virtue to be practiced.

People presupposed that the universe operated according to a predictable moral order - that God has designed the world with wisdom and built it into the very fabric of creation.

This meant that the principles of that moral order were present, but it was through wisdom that people imposed order on life.

Through the fear of God, knowledge, discernment, prudence, insight, etc. people were able to discover God’s moral order and then through obedience to God, bring structure to the chaos of life.

For the ancient societies of the middle east, the model for becoming a virtuous person of wisdom was - discern God’s wisdom as designed in reality, submit to that design as you do wise things, and then you are are considered wise.

Wisdom then is attributed, and not so much attained.

Practically, all of this has major implications to our question, “How do I become a wise person?”

In you pursuit of wisdom, there is no degree to attain, no seminar to attend, no sermon series to listen to, no book to read, no technique to apply, and certainly no YouTube video to watch…

From the bibilical and historical perspectives, if you want to become a wise person or attain wisdom, then you must discern God’s design in life, submit to that moral order in the form of obedience, and “be wise.”

So, as we try to tackle the question, how do I become a wise person?, we need to shift our thinking to align ourselves with the biblical perspectives we are seeing.

Wisdom is not aquired through learning, but through doing…

Wisdom as a Path

In Proverbs 2 and Proverbs 4, wisdom is referred to frequently as a “path.”

In both the Psalms and the Proverbs, the term used for “path” is almost never intended to be read literally.

The figurative use of the word implies the sense of “conduct or behavior” implying that life can is a coherent movement towards a conscuous goal.

So, what do we do when we walk a path?

We know our destination

We stay on the trail

We don’t stop

We keep putting one foot in front of the other “left, right, left, right...”

We can become wise through the adoption of simple disciplines (Left, right, left, right)

- Spend time in word and treasure commandments

- listen to wisdom and incline your heart to obedience

- pray for wisdom and understanding

- seek for wisdom beyond the surface

We trust in God to give knowledge, protect our paths, guard our paths...

The text is implying more than just our religious guidance...

- Exercise self-control with food

- Be discipline in how you spend money

- Be a hard worker and not lazy

- Don’t talk when you don’t know what to say

- Be careful about how you spend your time

- Be attentive to what messages you allow into your head

Through consistent disciplines, we can grow in wisdom.

God reveals to us his moral order, and by his grace, we walk in those necessary paths, and impose order over the chaos of our lives.

Although Grace is opposed to earning, it is not opposed to effort!

- The pursuit of wisdom is not “passive” but is also not something we can do ourselves!

- We see the biblical picture of both God and human responsiblity.

To become wise, we must depend on God to grant wisdom, but that does not release us from the responsibility of pursuing wisdom.

There is a warning for us in the life of Solomon.

At one point, his heart was inclined to God and he was the wisest of all kings, but he died a “fool” led astray by his love of money.

He was mislead by his unbelieving wives.

To the question of how do I become wise?

The answer is not easy… Not a simple thing we do, but a habit of life that we walk.

How to die a wise person?

- This is the question that matters most...

- As we pursue wisdom, we must accept that mistakes will be made along the way.

What matters more than “am I a wise person?” is the question, “am I growing in wisdom?”

- There are so many other voices calling for you, staying attuned to the voice of wisdom… It is not just a call to discpline, but a call that necessitates a transformed heart.

A renewed mind.

A love of God.

A fear of him.

A love for his way over and against the way I think is best.