How to be wise (Proverbs)

I love the book of Proverbs.  There are so many interesting, and even amusing, gems of truth contained in its pages.  The Proverbs are given in the form of instruction from parents to their son.  A son is being told about what the sort of qualities to look for in a wife, how to do deal with difficult people, how to be a blessing to society, how should use money, how to be a good friend, and so on.  Do you want to know these things for yourself?  Do you want to raise spiritually healthy children?  Then this book of for you!

Most of the Proverbs are from Solomon, who, in the Old Testament, was the model of a wise man.  Solomon writes that we may ‘know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth (1:1-4).’

How do we become wise?

What is wisdom?  I think that being wise involves living a life that pleases God, and even knowing how to do so when the Bible doesn’t give you are clear command relating to the choice that you are about to make.  So, when we read through the Proverbs we are doing more than looking for instructions for our particular situation, we are also trying to allow God to shape how we reason.  But how do we become wise?

Wisdom begins with faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God’ (Psalms 14:1).  ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’ (9:10).  To fear the Lord is not to be sacred of God, but to live in awe and reverence of the gracious God you long to please. 

Notice that wisdom is especially needed by those who are young.  Wisdom is learned through the experiences of life.  That is why the Proverbs value age, and so speak positively about grey hair (16:31 and 20:29).  We can learn from those who have travelled further down the road of life than us.  How tragic it is to live in a culture that always assumes that change is good, that new is best, and that the young know better than their parents and grandparents!

Wisdom comes through experiencing life in the real world, so you don’t become wise by hiding in a bubble.  ‘Wisdom cries out in the street’, rather than revealing itself in an ivory tower (1:20).  Even the mistakes we make are to teach us.  ‘As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly’ (26:1).  Don’t let bad experiences make you cynical but let them give you understanding. 

Not only does wisdom come through the hard knocks of life in the real world, it also comes through being willing to expose yourself to hard words.  ‘Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching’ (1:8).  ‘Faithful are the wounds of a friend’ (27:5).  You will not become very wise if you are so touchy that even those who love you don’t have permission to challenge you.

We learn from the words of Scripture.  ‘Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him’ (30:5).  We could say that we become wise by listening to our parents, our friends, and most of all, to God.  The Holy Spirit shapes our thinking as we meditate on the Word he inspired. 

Wisdom comes through being broken.  Even the perfect person of Jesus learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8).  Don’t be surprised to receive discipline from the Heavenly Father who loves you (3:12).  Parents who love their children will discipline them (13:24).  Spoiled children are generally foolish.

Wisdom is given to those who really want it!  We are to seek wisdom ‘like silver and search for it like hidden gold’ (2:4).  The proverbs teach us that wisdom is a gift from God.  ‘The Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding’ (2:6).  James writes, ‘If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him’ (James 1:5).

Do we want to know how to be wise, to please God as we live in a complicated world?  Do you want wisdom enough to co-operate with God as he shapes us through pain, to respect God enough to listen to his word, to be humble enough to take the advice of other people, and to smart enough to learn from our mistakes?

To be wise is to have the mind of Christ

Solomon was the Old Testament’s greatest example of a person with wisdom, but then Jesus comes and claims that he is one greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:38-42).  Even as a child Jesus was noted for his wisdom (Luke 2:52).  During his public ministry people asked, ‘what is this wisdom that has been given to him?’ (Mark 6:2).  So, to be wise is to have the mind of Christ.  To ask for wisdom is to pray the words of that old hymn, ‘may the mind of Christ my saviour live in me from day to day, but his love and power controlling all I do and say.’  What does it look like to be wise?  It looks like Jesus!  Surely that is enough to make any Christian earnestly seek wisdom!

Wisdom calls out to you (chapter 8)

In Proverbs chapter 8 wisdom is personified.  That person is Jesus Christ himself.  ‘To you, O people, I call out, I raise my voice to all mankind.  You who are simple, gain prudence, you who are foolish, set your hearts on it’ (8:4-5).  Wisdom is not just for mystics and philosophers, it is for anyone who respond to the call of Jesus.  To live without Him is the most foolish thing of all!

Wisdom declares, ‘I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech’ (8:13).  So, we are to heed the Proverbs call to repent (1:23) and remember that coming into relationship with God is about humbling ourselves and accepting the promise of forgiveness (28:13).  For God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (3:34).

God wants us to seek wisdom because he delights to bless.  Wisdom says, ‘my fruit is better than gold, what I produce surpasses silver’ (8:18-19).  Wisdom, personified as a woman, ‘calls from the highest point of the city, “Let all who are simple come to my house!”  To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.  Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight’ (9:3-6). 

I want to finish by pointing out that the Proverbs give us the impression that wisdom leads to all sorts of blessing, including health and wealth.  To some extent that is true.  Live well, and you are more likely to live long.  Be diligent, and you are more likely to financially prosper.  The Proverbs give us principles that work when the world is orderly.  However, there is plenty of disorder in the world.  That is why we read the Proverbs in the full light of Scripture.  Another book of wisdom, Job, reminds us the world is often very disorderly.  Work hard, but recession can take away all you have gathered.  Live well, but you still might get cancer.  Just read of the life of the Apostle Paul to see how the wise can suffer (2 Corinthians 11:16-33).  So, why live wisely?  We live wisely because there is delight is a life of wisdom (10:23 and 23:26); because we have a heavenly Father who delights in us (3:20); and because this delighting Father delights when we live with wisdom (3:20 and 8:31, 11:20 and 12:22)!