Wisdom’s Cry (Part 1 – The purpose of Proverbs)
Just a note: With this being spring, our busiest time of year, there will be weeks that more lunches are worked than taken therefore not allowing time to write Vida. So during those weeks please visit our website Vida4U.com or just enjoy a longer time in God’s Word.
Proverbs 1: 1-5 & 7 ” The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
According to these verses we are not equal before our Maker; there are the fools and the wise. Just like the student in class that listens and gains the favor of the teacher, so those who listen to God’s instructions become wise and gain His favor. The student that acts out gets the attention of the vice principal or is set home. Though we are not all equal we are all equally loved by virtue that Christ died for all people. Our “value” is the same but the differences occur in our relationship to Him. Those who follow Him are blessed and receive his guidance and are considered wise. The foolish are defined as those who seek not the Lord’s wisdom relying on their own understanding and thereby rejecting the morality that God has set forth. Pharaoh’s wise men were considered fools ( Isa.19:11). Therefore those who do not seek Him are on their own. It is the fear (or reverence ) for God that divides us.
When I was 20 yrs. old I was promoted from watching 8 people and 2 acres of greenhouse plants to 40 people and 15 acres of liner stock. It was the heart of a 600 acre wholesale nursery where plants were “born,” grown and prepared for future life. I basically freaked out. I did not know how to manage that many people especially since many were the age of my parents. Nor did I have experience with this much acreage with such a high concentration of “baby”plants. One mistake and I could ruin a whole crop for the season or set it back. I was in school taking horticulture classes at night but the management classes I had taken didn’t prepare me for managing people older than myself. It was presupposed that managers were always older than those they managed. That’s why they were managers – more experienced, I was not. I maintained a constant state of panic praying constantly asking The Lord for His wisdom. The Holy Spirit led me to this verse;
“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2Samuel 23:3&4)”
King David also was very young ( around 23) when he started to rule Judah. However prior to being king God prepared him in that he served King Saul. He showed himself as a valiant soldier and soon was leading men into war. He was undefeated and soon gained for himself a name among the people. So much so that the people sang this song for him “Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his tens of thousands ( 1 Samuel 18:7).” The people acknowledged his military victories as greater than Saul’s. Because of this David had to eventually flee for his life. Saul’s jealousies led him to seek David’s life. As well as Saul sought to protect his throne for his son Johnathan. However what time David did spend under Saul prepared him to rule later when Saul and unfortunately Jonathan were killed in battle. This had to be for the Davidic line of the Messiah to be fulfilled. But this verse of ruling over men I’m sure was of much comfort to David as it was to me. Thru this verse God was preparing me. I could fear ( reverence) God, that was easy for me and because of that I would be just over men. I didn’t have to waver or second guess my decisions.
In applying this verse, the Holy Spirit taught me to see all men and women with equal value. I saw how different I was from all the other managers. They held themselves above the people. In time my department with the same number of employees as the manager I was replacing ( he was promoted) set new production records and our end product was fuller than prior. Meaning that plants were going to market earlier. Less time on the ground meant more profit for the nursery. The man that I replaced had the humility to congratulate me on my success. He was twice my age. I learned then that age meant nothing to God. He used a donkey to rebuke Balaam, He could use a 20 yr. old to show others the work of God in a yielded vessel. The verse became an anchor in my soul and fortified within me that the only difference between me and those I managed were our responsibilities. My job was to move the work forward, their job was to be my hands and feet. Once I understood this verse all my fears were gone. I’m many years older now and have run my own company for 25 years yet my management style has not changed from that day. The power and testimony of God’s Word goes unrivaled in my life.
In reading the verses we are studying there is a clear path to follow with a list of the benefits – they are all good! “To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; ” Why would we not want these virtues and be blessed? However many do not, why? The key word seems to be “To receive.” Laqah is the Hebrew word and it means what you would think, but it also has a unique meaning as well. The assumed meaning is “to take, to acquire, or to buy.” However it also speaks of an adult bird carrying its young on its back (Duet.32). Which is interesting and an interesting application can be rendered if we use this word picture. Therefore to receive implies a willingness to carry the truth “on your back” or we would say in your heart. This is a heart that is willing to be taught (humble) and receive instruction unto itself. As precept is added to precept, a line ( of instruction) upon line (Isaiah 28:9&10) the power to fly is increased. For in the truth is strenght and as strenght increases the very storms that keep others down are caught in your wings of faith and being fortified by the truth lift you higher, above the storm. As one devotional writer has said “take from the very storm the force that empowers it and make it your own.” In Christ and in faith this is not just a neat saying but truth. It can be done. When God is seen as bigger than that which threatens you, then the very storm lifts you closer to Him, not farther.
Therefore ” To receive” means all the virtues of “of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;… knowledge and discretion” become ours with the chief virtue being humility which will always fear or have reverence for the Lord. To be void of this is to reject the very hand that only seeks to help you. As a dad who extends his hand to his son who is struggling to swim, so God extends His hand out to us. The sad truth is that God’s hand is rejected, “but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Pride in other words becomes the nemisis of humility. We will continue this next week.
Father God,
More important than being a good preacher, a singer, or even gifted in healing is one of a humble and contrite spirit. For that son or daughter is teachable, pliable and mold able and more importantly usable. We become a useful tool in the hands of the Master. Let that be each one of our desires. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur