The Proverbs Series: The Outcome of Our Search for Wisdom
Walking the Wise Path to the Good Life
Dear #DailyFollower,
Introduction
I trust you’re doing well and having a great week so far.
We continue our journey through the Proverbs, picking up from where we stopped yesterday in Proverbs 2:4, EXB.
Before I dive into it, if this is your first #DailyFollower newsletter, you can catch up on our journey through the Proverbs here; you’ll find the first eleven letters containing thoughts about King Solomon’s inspired words from Proverbs 1:1 to Proverbs 2:4.
Solomon shares some of the outcomes of a diligent quest for Wisdom in our text today.
Let’s dive in.
The Text
Proverbs 2:4-8, AMPC
4 If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skilful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures,
5 Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.
6 For the Lord gives skilful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him); He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity,
8 That He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints.
Proverbs 2:4-8, EXB
4 ·Search [Seek] for it like silver, and ·hunt [search] for it like hidden treasure.
5 Then you will understand ·respect [fear; awe; 1:7] for the Lord, and you will find ·that you know God [the knowledge of God].
6 Only the Lord gives wisdom; ·he gives [from his mouth comes] knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up ·wisdom [resourcefulness] for those who ·are honest [have integrity]. Like a shield, he protects the innocent.
8 He ·makes sure that justice is done [guards the path of justice], and he protects those who are loyal to him.
Some Thoughts
When we diligently search for wisdom, we encounter the Source of skilful and godly Wisdom (God). This encounter produces reverent and worshipful fear of God, a response that results from the revelation of knowledge of God.
Only God gives wisdom; Lady Wisdom from Proverbs 1 is a gift from the only wise God (1 Timothy 1:17, KJV), and He communicates wisdom (as a bundle of knowledge [the aggregation of useful information] and understanding [the correct processing of knowledge that enables right actions]) through His words.
Only the righteous (those who are upright, honest, have integrity and in right standing with the only wise God) have access to His words that bring wisdom. With God’s wisdom comes preservation (God as a shield for the righteous) and justice (God as a defender of the righteous).
One Question To Ponder
Isn’t the quest for wisdom the most noble quest in life?
Our lives are filled with so many quests in this fast-paced world that we live in.
Quests to stay relevant, either spiritually, physically, mentally, financially, or relationally. Many times, after doing everything we know to do, we still find ourselves missing the mark of relevance in some areas of life.
With one quest—the quest for skilful and godly wisdom—we can gain the knowledge and understanding we need to stay relevant in all the areas of life that matter most to us.
Conclusion
I’d rather chase after skilful and godly wisdom than be in a frantic human race of relevance that only results in more dissatisfaction with every forward-looking stride I make.
Searching for wisdom diligently will save us from the vicious cycle of the rat race because our search for wisdom delivers one outcome: access to words from the mouth of God that brings knowledge [the aggregation of useful information] and understanding [the correct processing of knowledge that enables right actions].
This knowledge and understanding enable us to take the right actions in all spheres of life. Our right actions distinguish us in the different arenas we play in, and with this distinction comes increasing relevance, which enables us to rise above the vicious cycle of the rat race in our fast-paced world.
I jump ahead once more to close with King Solomon’s advice from Proverbs 4:7, KJV:
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
The quest for wisdom is the most noble quest anyone can be on.
Yours faithfully,
John, a #DailyFollower.
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