1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
When someone presents you with a gift, you would receive it, open it and use it for what it is intended to be used for. The instruction we receive from the Lord is, in a manner of speaking, a gift. We should apply it to our lives, for it’s not jibber-jabber or useless talk. The sayings in Proverbs are jewels of wisdom that flow from the very mouth of God thru His servant Solomon.
The ‘instruction’ we receive is designed to lead us to a ‘prudent’ way of handling ourselves. A prudent man would be “a man who is careful and wise in handling practical matters; one who exercises good judgment and/or common sense.” (1) He would be a sensible man.
A prudent man, we are told, is a man who does what is right, just and fair in God’s sight. God’s fairness doesn’t always line up with the fairness of this world; however, fairness in a Godly sense is equitable for all parties involved. The world’s view of fairness typically favors one side or the other.
Godly justice involves man conforming to the will and standard of God. There is a fine line between doing God’s will and insisting on your own will. This implies that God doesn’t know what’s best for you. That thought is ludicrous when you compare His achievements to ours. Living according to God’s standards is the only way to achieve peace for today and hope for tomorrow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
(1) thefreedictionary.com
Resources: NIV Bible Study Notes; MacArthur Study Bible; Reformation Study Bible.
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