wisdom

Proverbs 7 shows us the seduction of the simple. Without wisdom, temptation always wins, the immature lose, and catastrophe awaits.

In Proverbs 6:1-19, the father warns his son to watch out for the irresponsible, lazy, and wicked. Throughout the text, we learn what pleases and displeases God.

Proverbs 5:1-23 is God’s wisdom in marriage and life being imparted to man. The simple and naive can learn, but the fool may never understand.

Proverbs 4:10-19 is simple. It’s about choosing the right way. ‘The way’ is a motif throughout Proverbs. Two women are used to illustrate the way of the righteous or the way of the wicked.

Q: You always say we must take the word at its word. We don’t add or take away. You say not to worry about what we “think” it means, but what it does mean. A few weeks ago you mentioned that the Proverbs 31 woman was not really about what a woman should want to be but was about wisdom. This was a little surprising to me because since I’ve read it as a little girl it seems very cut and dry. It’s a lot less ambiguous than some of the verses and books of the Bible. I never looked at this passage as a burden. I always loved the fact that God took time to show us this amazing reflection of what I believe so many women do and are.

Proverbs 3:13-18 is about something more precious and priceless than anything. It’s not something we grab out of a burning home, but the wisdom in understanding what wisdom is. The parallel is that when we find wisdom, we gain understanding.

Do you want wisdom? If so, there is a path to get it, but it’s not what you think. Wisdom is the deliberate pursuit of something whose origin is God; it is manifold and multifaceted. We must have a deep reliance on the Father.

Wisdom can be used for good or evil, depending on the context. Proverbs invites us to use Godly wisdom for good. When wisdom is used for good, it is righteousness which is serving the community according to the Word of God.

Have you heard the joke that maybe Solomon dropped his dissertation on his way to have it bound? Perhaps that’s why his Proverbs can seem so disorganized…but that isn’t the case at all.

Michael speaks with Dr. Mark Chavalas about the words of the prophet Micah.