11 Those who work their land will have plenty of food,
but the one who chases empty dreams is not wise. – Proverbs 12:11 NCV
This verse is a reminder to be proactive. Ideas and goals mean nothing without a plan to take action and the willingness to do the work.
1 Wisdom calls to you like someone shouting;
understanding raises her voice.
2 On the hilltops along the road
and at the crossroads, she stands calling.
3 Beside the city gates,
at the entrances into the city, she calls out:
4 “Listen, everyone, I’m calling out to you;
I am shouting to all people.
5 You who are uneducated, seek wisdom.
You who are foolish, get understanding.
6 Listen, because I have important things to say,
and what I tell you is right.
7 What I say is true,
I refuse to speak evil.
8 Everything I say is honest;
nothing I say is crooked or false.
9 People with good sense know what I say is true;
and those with knowledge know my words are right.
10 Choose my teachings instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than the finest gold.
11 Wisdom is more precious than rubies.
Nothing you could want is equal to it. – Proverbs 8:1-11 NCV
As you read Proverbs 8 today, listen to the voice of a personified wisdom, especially in these verses. She represents herself in this chapter from two positions: by implying the knowledge of Divine and human things and as an attribute of God displayed in His wonderful creation. Notice too, that she does it loud and without shame demanding all to listen.
21 By her clever words she made him give in;
by her pleasing words she led him into doing wrong.
22 All at once he followed her,
like an ox led to the butcher,
like a deer caught in a trap
23 and shot through the liver with an arrow.
Like a bird caught in a trap,
he didn’t know what he did would kill him. – Proverbs 7:21-23 NCV
Proverbs 7 is again a warning to avoid the adulteress. The spiritual desolation this sin leaves is described in these verses.
1 My child, be careful about giving a guarantee for somebody else’s loan,
about promising to pay what someone else owes.
2 You might get trapped by what you say;
you might be caught by your own words.
3 My child, if you have done this and are under your neighbor’s control,
here is how to get free.
Don’t be proud. Go to your neighbor
and beg to be free from your promise.
4 Don’t go to sleep
or even rest your eyes,
5 but free yourself like a deer running from a hunter,
like a bird flying away from a trapper. – Proverbs 6:1-5 NCV
Among the number of verses about handling money in Proverbs, this bit of advice is the same as every financial planner worth his CFP credentials would give. Never cosign a loan unless you plan to pay it off yourself.
The entire chapter of Proverbs 5 is a warning against adultery. As you your read it you can break it down into the following sub sections:
Of particular beauty is the reminder to live within the bounds of a godly marriage:
15 Be faithful to your own wife,
just as you drink water from your own well.
16 Don’t pour your water in the streets;
don’t give your love to just any woman.
17 These things are yours alone
and shouldn’t be shared with strangers.
18 Be happy with the wife you married when you were young.
She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water.
19 She is as lovely and graceful as a deer.
Let her love always make you happy;
let her love always hold you captive. – Proverbs 5:15-19 NCV
1 My child, listen to what I say
and remember what I command you.
2 Listen carefully to wisdom;
set your mind on understanding.
3 Cry out for wisdom,
and beg for understanding.
4 Search for it like silver,
and hunt for it like hidden treasure.
5 Then you will understand respect for the Lord,
and you will find that you know God.
6 Only the Lord gives wisdom;
he gives knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up wisdom for those who are honest.
Like a shield he protects the innocent.
8 He makes sure that justice is done,
and he protects those who are loyal to him. – Proverbs 2:1-8 NCV
Proverbs 2 lists five fruits of wisdom. This first paragraph promises that we will find God in our quest for wisdom.
Read about the second fruit here
Read about the third fruit here
We are expected to search for it in the same way men search for riches. Notice that the Bible teaches that while God makes available what we need, he doesn’t hand it to us. Manna for the Israelites needed to be gathered, the walls of Jericho had to be marched around and salvation is given conditionally (Mark 16:16, Matthew 7:21). In the same way we come to know God through our search for knowledge in the Scriptures.