Proverbs Study – Lesson 2
We begin our lesson today by picking up where we left off last week at the end of chapter one. READ PROV. 1:20-33. As we mentioned last week, we often think of wisdom as being secret and hard to find. We will often travel to great lengths and pay a high price in the hopes of obtaining wisdom. The first two verses of today’s lesson, v. 20-1, tell us that wisdom is found more often than not found in common places right where we live. Maybe that is part of the reason why we have a hard time receiving it. It is common. It has been around for years. The package that it comes to us in is not fancy enough, so we do not tend to pay it much attention. Want to see it offered to us with drama and emotion and it has to cost enough that it hurts, a real production, a real sacrifice. Wisdom may be more common than we think. This week I want you to try out this thought or proverb found in 1:20-1. As you go through your week stop and take an honest look at things that you encounter in your travels, being sure to be open minded to simple things that don’t necessarily come in the package passed off as real important in our world. Things like patience, prudence, effort, quiet and true need instead of what we perceive as the necessities of a fast paced life. Wisdom is often found in simple things that cry out to us saying, “stop, take a little extra time, a little extra effort…I am here,…it will be worth it.”
It kind of reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. The four characters each had a need and were in need of wisdom on what to do and where to find the answer to their problem. Do you remember what each one’s need was? The answers they were told lies at the end of “the Yellow Brick Road”. Believing this to be true they set out on their long journey for the “truth”. They had traveled a long way and had finally reached their destination, the end of “the Yellow Brick Road”, the place where they would find the answer to each of their questions. They knocked on the palace door and were turned away repeatedly by the doorman. Wisdom must be found here, they thought, the journey was so long and the palace of wisdom was so big and impressive, the answers that we are looking for must be here. This must be the place. This must be some wizard. If he cannot help us no one can.
Being persistent they were finally let in to have an audience with the Wizard. They were met at first with all the trappings of what we think precedes wisdom. Flashing lights, thunder, lightening, all wrapped up in this big impressive palace. However, when the wizard was exposed they found out that it was all smoke and mirrors. It was a man pushing buttons and pulling levers. He was a fellow traveler just like them. Proverbs tells us that “true wisdom” is found in everyday life, if we are willing to receive. But it often comes in a “simple” package, usually, without a lot of hoopla.
READ V. 22-6 tells us that all too often wisdom is offered to us, beaconing for our attention, but we pay it no mind. We are too busy. It requires a little more effort than I am willing to give right now. It is easier to do the same things that I have always done. Wisdom will say, you need to make some changes before it is too late. It tells us that we do not have forever. Our reply is someday. Wisdom replies back, …often, too often, someday never comes.
We assume the if wisdom had made an offer to us to help us and guide us in life at one time that it will always be available whenever we may be ready to receive it or use it. In the end of chapter one Solomon warns us that this is not always so. Although wisdom may be easily accessed and readily available at one point in our life, if we deny or refuse its offer for help it may not be so easy to find in our time of need. Things change. Resources that were common and plenteous at one time at another time may be hard to find. Wisdom may be coming to you through a friend or family member or through another resource. These resources dry up. Friends move away and do not call you back, their life gets busy. The source of wisdom through a mother or father or grandparent may disappear due to an unfortunate situation in life like illness, accident or death.
In v. 27 it uses some pretty harsh realities. It uses words like desolation, destruction, whirlwind, distress and anguish. How descriptive are these words? How true can these words become in describing the harsh realities of life when the winds of life blow hard on us unprepared? When difficult times meet us head on words that often come from our lips are, “If I only would have planned better. I should have listened to _________. It is my own fault. If I had only done this or that when I should have things would have worked out. When we finally wake up and realize that we should have applied the wisdom that at one time was so readily available it is too late. Things have changed. It doesn’t fit or apply so well now. We have to settle for a patch of the problem, not a fix. The patch might hold, but for how long.
This happens in many areas of life. That is why the book of Proverbs talks a lot about planning ahead. Finances, relationships, health, education, even the maintenance of a house or material thing. This life constantly needs our attention. Wisdom says do this…this is the prudent thing to do. And, it should be done sooner rather than later. Waiting when you know that something needs attention now usually diminishes the return, sometimes providing no return at all. How many things do we put off too long only to find that we end up with something that is UNFIXABLE. The answers that would have worked then are now outdated and do not fit the now “new and improved and more complicated problem”.
Some would say that there is always an answer. Others would tell you from EXPERIENCE that you do not have all the time in the world. Wisdom will tell you that you don’t always have forever. Now is the time to apply and invest the wisdom at hand to guarantee a sure tomorrow. Wisdom is telling us we may not have a second chance.
A good example of this is in relationships. Wisdom would tell us to make things right, right now, not next week. As time passes the relationship gets more difficult. Even with the passing of a short amount of time, a relational situation can become more difficult often passing the point of no real solution. Eph. 4:26, Don’t let the sun go down on tour wrath is good advice.
V. 31 says that we will eat of the fruit of our own doing or our own way if wisdom is unapplied. . V. 33 refers to the habitual lifestyle of applying wisdom. Listening and applying wisdom not once, not twice during rare occasions, but learning to make the application of wisdom a daily habit. The lifestyle of wisdom will establish us in a dwelling place of safety and we shall find peace when others fear evil all around them. V. 31-2 Reminds us that contrary to the world’s message that says that we are victims of the calamity that comes our way, that even though it is expected that calamity will occur, that most of the time calamity overcomes us because we have forsaken wisdom not applying it. V. 31says that they, the simple, shall eat of the fruit of “their own way” and that their life will be filled with “their own devises”. V. 32 tells us that those who are simple make a habit of turning away from wisdom and its application when it comes their way. V. 32 says that this has “serous” consequences.
V. 32 also says that those who prosper due to evil ways are victims of their own prosperity. As we will see later in our study in Proverbs, prosperity is not always easy to survive. Everyone wants to win the lottery, believing that it will solve all of our troubles. But, what does experience tell us?
We often hear of those who did not survive the gift of prosperity, especially, those who get it dishonestly. It is easy, especially for the simple, to allow excesses to creep into their life and begin to “rule” when money is no object. Much of life revolves around “what we can afford” and not in actuality on making decisions according to God’s will. Proverbs will advocate the later. Even when we work hard and we have earned what we get, the lack of applied wisdom may cause the good thing that we’ve gotten and worked so hard for to become our downfall. If wisdom and prudence is not applied to our success, success becomes an anchor instead of the answer. V. 33 sums it up by saying that if you want to have your cake and eat it to that wisdom needs to be part of your decision making process and lifestyle.
Chapter 2 refers back to Prov. 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom”. When we looked at that verse during our last study we tried to explain what it really meant and although we had some good comments, we ended up not really understanding its full meaning. Prov. 1:7 is one of those verses that takes on broader and deeper meaning as you ruminate or meditate on it. As a matter of fact, it seems that the entire book of Proverbs is founded on this verse. As we study the book of Proverbs we need to stack everything that we learn upon this verse, using this verse as our foundation. Prov. 2:1-4 tells us that when we truly understand the basis of wisdom that we will begin to understand what it means to fear the Lord. For…in the Lord is found wisdom. He is the source of wisdom. And, in that wisdom there is great power for life.
Seeing this Power naturally produces Awe. Fear…awe is a natural result. Maybe we do not fear God because we have never seen Him. Solomon is saying here that maybe if you truly begin to understand the wisdom in this book, that you will begin to see that God stands behind His Word…Living by it…Living in it, making true wisdom work, making it reality. He is the unseen reality behind wisdom and seeing wisdom, we begin to see Him!
It is common to come to the book of Proverbs seeking help, wanting the wisdom that we have heard is here. We seek the wisdom. We want answers to our life. But Solomon is saying, as you begin to get this wisdom, getting answers to your life that work, you begin to perceive that there is SomeOne behind the foundation of wisdom, keeping it all together, making it work. READ Prov 2:5-11. Behind a humble heart is a teachable spirit. The proud pass by wisdom barely noticing it. Solomon is telling us to consider the source instead of just standing on the edge of wisdom finding a few bits that we can apply to our life. He makes it plain in v. 6 that wisdom in not an entity unto itself. It does not exist in a void. Solomon had found out from personal experience that Wisdom has a Name. Understanding has a face. He tells us plainly in v. 6 that the Lord gives wisdom. Out of His mouth comes understanding. If we want to hit the mother load of wisdom, he tells us that it is here that it is found, in conversation and communion with the Source of wisdom as a daily habit of life.
In v. 6, 7 and 8 he connects us directly to God as the source.
· The Lord gives wisdom
· Out of the Lord’s mouth comes knowledge and understanding
· The Lord lays up sound wisdom for the righteous or those who follow the righteous way
· He is a shield to those who walk uprightly,..follow God in righteousness
· He, the Lord keeps the paths of justice, ..making it work
· He is the preservation of and the establisher of the path laid before those following God
When we begin to see and understand the God that is the Power behind wisdom, And (!!!), we begin to understand and apply His wisdom to our life, then we begin to stand on the edge of understanding “the fear of the Lord”. We then begin to understand its meaning, … and humility begins to overcome us, and love and worship for God begins. Solomon had experienced this.
You will not find true wisdom and understand the meaning of the “fear of the Lord” unless you diligently desire it and diligently seek it out with a humble heart.
V. 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, what is discretion? And, v. 11 also says that understanding shall keep us. I am always amazed at the skill of a tradesman or a specialist. They are so wise in their trade. They know all the tricks to get the job done fast and right. But, they were not always this way. At one point in their life they were unskilled and inept. Over the years they became wise in their trade. Practicing. Learning. Studying. Putting in extra hours. Repeating the process. Making sure that it is right. Discretion and understanding are learned skills and we become good at them over years of practice and application.
READ Prov. 2:11-22. The last part of chapter 2 gives instruction and practical application how wisdom will protect us and guide us when faced with two common temptations of life. What are these two common areas of temptation? V. 11 says that discretion shall preserve us and understanding will keep us when faced with these common temptations and difficulties that go with life. Proverbs will frequently make the statement that the “foolish” or “unlearned” will unknowingly proceed right on ahead, not understanding that danger that is right in front of them. Having discretion and understanding before these problems face us will allow us to be prepared to make wise choices, steering clear of the present danger when they arise.
These warnings are important. They are serious. Many, being simple and void of understanding, have become entangled in these areas, usually having innocent beginnings, never to be the same again. We are faced with many difficulties in life. Some choices are obvious. Others are not so easily discerned. Decisions are made during vulnerable times. Often in a time of need, either physical or emotional. Solomon warns us ahead of time to stay clear of these two areas, the man or so called friends that have bad habits and ways and “the strange woman” which deals with all sorts of immoral drives and temptations. Staying far away from these areas will keep you safe. Knowing what to do before these problems confront us help us to steer clear of them when they are headed our way.
1. dis·cre·tion/disˈkreSHən/Noun
1. The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
2. The freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation. More »
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