Tag: Wisdom

 ¹² “I am wisdom, and I have good judgment.
I also have knowledge and good sense.
¹³ If you respect the Lord, you will also hate evil.
I hate pride and bragging,
evil ways and lies.
¹⁴ I have good sense and advice,
and I have understanding and power.
¹⁵ I help kings to govern
and rulers to make fair laws.
¹⁶ Princes use me to lead,
and so do all important people who judge fairly.
¹⁷ I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
¹⁸ Riches and honor are mine to give.
So are wealth and lasting success.
¹⁹ What I give is better than the finest gold,
better than the purest silver.
²⁰ I do what is right
and follow the path of justice.
²¹ I give wealth to those who love me,
filling their houses with treasures.  – Proverbs 8:12-21 NCV

Proverbs 8 is wisdom personified – Shouting loud and demanding attention. She has to, those without her discourage others from looking. She invites us to seek her both in divine and secular areas. While this passage shows us the many physical rewards of wisdom, where do we start looking for the divine? This too, God has provided! See 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 for details.

 ¹ My children, listen to your father’s teaching;
pay attention so you will understand.
² What I am telling you is good,
so do not forget what I teach you.
³ When I was a young boy in my father’s house
and like an only child to my mother,
⁴ my father taught me and said,
“Hold on to my words with all your heart.
Keep my commands and you will live.
⁵ Get wisdom and understanding.
Don’t forget or ignore my words.
⁶ Hold on to wisdom, and it will take care of you.
Love it, and it will keep you safe.
⁷ Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom.
If it costs everything you have, get understanding.
⁸ Treasure wisdom, and it will make you great;
hold on to it, and it will bring you honor.
⁹ It will be like flowers in your hair
and like a beautiful crown on your head.” – Proverbs 4:1-9 NCV

The modern versions of this passage seem to dance around the fact that verse 2 is talking about the Torah. The King James says ²For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Solomon’s advice to seek wisdom, specifically God’s law, is passed down from his father and he considers it his family responsibility. What if more families remembered this and taught their children the thing that will take care of them, honor them and make them great?

Those of us in the New Testament age have been given the wisdom we are to seek and pass on. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 1:30 for details!

 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.

1 These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.
2 They teach wisdom and self-control;
they will help you understand wise words.
3 They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled
and will teach you to do what is honest and fair and right.
4 They make the uneducated wise
and give knowledge and sense to the young.
5 Wise people can also listen and learn;
even they can find good advice in these words.
6 Then anyone can understand wise words and stories,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord,
but fools hate wisdom and discipline.

I learned of an old technique for better living, better business and better relationships that I have been trying to develop into a habit. The technique is to read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month and reflect on one or more of the principles given for that day. The idea is that these ageless bits of wisdom can still be used today and will make one a more godly person.

The opening lines of the book tells us just how important these words are.