Taking a Walk Thru Proverbs

WISDOM IS ACHIEVABLE

“My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge.… I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me. - Proverbs 8:8-9, 17 New Living Translation

            Here we find another pitch from Wisdom, sharing some of her qualities and her accessibility.  In the world that existed when Solomon wrote this, order was an important value to have. Wisdom is present within order. To expand on this idea let me share some notes from NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bibleto explain this concept of order: “Creation brought order to the cosmos; law brought order to society; etiquette brought order to human relationships; politics brought order to governance and authority. Ancient wisdom can then be understood as the pursuit of understanding and preserving order in the world.” 

            Proverbs 1:7 declares that, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” The phrase Fear of the Lord simply means to take who God is and what his role is seriously. Revere him. Respect him. And this we should do regarding the Lord and no one else. 

            Man struggles with being subservient to another. Surrendering to God may seem emasculating to some, especially in a world where machismo is so important to a lot of men. Far too many people put on  display an alter ego in an effort to be popular, thus living out an unrealistic and unachievable life. We’ve tried to live our lives on our own and we have failed miserably. Surrendering isn’t giving up, it’s yielding to something or someone far greater than we are. Surrendering to Almighty God is the only way to maximize our spiritual growth.

            As verse 17 states above, if you search for wisdom, you will find it. It is only a prayer away. The foolish man or woman brings disorder into all they do because they don’t listen to the Lord, but rather set themselves up as the head as they attempt to find order in the ungodly and convoluted world in which they live. Take the time to seek the clarity God’s wisdom can bring to you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Resources: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language; www.biblegateway.com; The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible.