Can you hear me now? How common is that question on our cell phones? When it comes to growing in everyday wisdom God asks the same question of us, “Can you hear me now?” If we want to develop practical wisdom we need to listen to what God has to say and make three lifestyle choices.
The first is listening to God’s Wisdom.
Though far from perfect, before his death King David encouraged his son Solomon to seek God’s wisdom as he was about to take his father’s throne(I Kings 2:2-3). Solomon listened to His father’s advice and asked God for wisdom to rule (1 Ch.1:8-12; 1 Kings 4:29-34) and ‘God gave him wisdom and great insight.’
You’ll notice in I Kings 4 that King Solomon wrote three thousand proverbs, many of which are in the book of proverbs. Proverbs are short sayings that summarize many words. They are simple truths for the common person that anyone can grasp that contrast Godly advice from the culture’s advice. They are short sayings that have long truths, truths that hang like pictures in your mind.
Proverbs were originally written to the young people of Solomon’s day for reflection and perhaps used in a kind of Hebrew catechism school for wisdom taught by rabbis. Proverbs is a kind of ancient book of virtues and part of the biblical wisdom books of Job, Ecclesiastes, and Psalms.
Proverbs reflect the people we all encounter, those that are wise, naïve, wicked, lazy, wealthy and poor, child, parent, spouse, fool, whiner, the angry or the peacemaker. The proverbs help us deal with all these kinds of people. Proverbs is one of the most practical books in the Bible.
It would do us well if we would listen to Gods’ wisdom.
Secondly, if we want to grow in wisdom we need to learn and understand God’s wisdom.
“…but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,“ declares the LORD. Jer. 9:24 Prov.1:1-6; 3:13-15.
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance… Prov.1:5
Solomon developed a worldwide reputation for wisdom (1 Kings 10:1-9, 23-24). “The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.” (v.24) Learning and knowing is valuable, but it does not mean we know everything. Former mobster Jimmie Hoffa use to say, “I may have my faults, but being wrong ain’t one of them.” A part of learning wisdom is admitting we don’t know everything. 1 Corinthians 10:12
Oh, how desperately we need discernment to make the critical decisions that impact our lives and those around us. Learning and understanding wisdom enables us to avoid shipwreck in all areas of life.
Thirdly, loving and obeying God’s wisdom is an essential part of growing in wisdom.
The psalmist wrote, “Oh how I love thy word, it is the meditation of my heart all the day long.”
My son do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life. Prov. 3:1 If you want to grow in practical wisdom then obey God’s word. As Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching” John 14:23. Unfortunately, there came a time when Solomon fell so in love with ‘other things’ that he turned his heart way from the only source of wisdom. I Kings 11:1-8
Solomon forgot what it meant to obey and thought the world evolved around him. He began with wisdom, but ended up playing the fool. Proverbs 16:18 We can all become fools if we don’t live by what we hear from God. Allow God to make changes in your life by applying the wisdom of proverbs. Wisdom begins with God. He loves you enough to tell you how to live, that’s why he has given you His word.
Join us for more Everyday Wisdom in the next blog ‘The Impact of Our Words.’
Enjoy His Wisdom,
