Today’s reading is all about the pursuit of wisdom, the benefits of wisdom as well as the ensuing disaster that comes from a lack of wisdom.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)
Two personal stories were shared with me during the time I was reading today’s chapters (Proverbs 2-4):
- A highly-skilled person with a world-class education was terminated from employment due to behavior that was detrimental to the team.
- Another person who was highly-skilled and integral to the success of an extremely important business made some very selfish choices therefore put the company at risk.
Both of these scenarios had nothing to do with the person’s skill or even their passion for the job. The results were due to a lack of wisdom.
Jennifer wrote about Phinehas yesterday and the first thing that came to mind upon reading her post: Phinehas was wise and had he not been wise, it would have been really, really bad for a lot of people.
Similar for us today, we need wisdom, we need Jesus. In our schools, churches, government and most importantly in our homes as it starts with us seeking wisdom through Christ. We suffer from a lack of wisdom in others and our own as well. Please take the time to read today’s chapters, they are fascinating and filled with God’s truth and wisdom.
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3)
My own faith has strengthened from reading today’s chapters and writing the lists below because it becomes clearer how true God’s word is. I know the peace and joy of wisdom, and unfortunately have experienced too much pain from a lack of wisdom in myself or others.
Summary of the benefits of wisdom from Proverbs 2-4:
- Understanding the fear of the Lord. 2:5
- Knowledge 2:5-6
- Understanding 2:6, 4:7
- Success 2:7
- Protection 2:8, 4:6
- Discernment 2:9
- A pleasant soul 2:10
- Keeping existing assets (remaining in the land) 2:21
- Prolong life, long life 3:2, 16, 4:10
- Peace 3:2, 17
- Prosperity 3:2, 10
- Win favor & a good name 3:3
- Keep a straight path 3:6
- Health 3:8, 4:22
- Nourishment 3:8
- Discipline 3:12
- High return on investment 3:14
- Long life 3:16
- Riches 3:16
- Honor 3:16, 35, 4:8
- Blessings 3:18, 33
- Life 3:22, 4:4, 22
- Safety 3:23
- Fearlessness 3:24, 25
- Sweet sleep 3:24
- Held in confidence by God 3:32
- Shown favor 3:34
- Exaltation 4:8
- Crowned 4:9
- Run without stumbling 4:12
- Path like the morning sun 4:18
Implications of a lack of wisdom from Proverbs 2-4:
- Wickedness 2:12
- Perversion 2:12
- Darkness 2:13
- Evil 2:14
- Adultery 2:16
- Death 2:18
- Damnation 2:19
- Lose assets (cut off from the land) 2:22
- Detested 3:32
- Cursed 3:33
- Mocked 3:34
- Shame 3:35
- Deep darkness 4:19
Father God, your are holy and perfect and all wisdom comes from you! We repent for our lack of wisdom, for our sins which lead to brokenness, for times of relying on our own understanding instead of seeking you first. We beg of your forgiveness. We ask for healing in situations where unwise choices of others have hurt us or the ones we love. We ask you to intervene in the lives of those who do not yet know you or acknowledge Jesus as their savior. Show them the way. Open our mouths to speak to the lost. Open our hearts to love the lost. Please grant us wisdom. We thank you in advance because we know you want us to seek wisdom and you want to give this to us. In the name of your son Jesus Christ, amen.