Proverbs, Wisdom

Wisdom is an essential part of living a godly life. The ability to make good judgments and identify potentially sinful situations are skills all Christians should have. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that it is the duty of parents and older Christians to pass on these skills and train younger generations in wisdom.

The book of Proverbs is a book all about wisdom. The various authors of the book are trying to pass on the things they have learned to a younger generation. They want all that come after them to know that true wisdom comes from God.

Background

Like the book of Psalms, the book of Proverbs is a collection of various sayings and proverbs from many different people. The primary author we associate the book with is King Solomon, who wrote the most out of any single author, but he is just one of several writers. It is a very interesting book in this regard.

The book of Proverbs can be tricky because it isn't always consistent in how the text flows together. Some sections connect and build upon each other while in other sections each verse is intended to be read alone and isn't necessarily connected to the verses around it. This means we have to be observant when reading Proverbs so we know which type of section we are in.

Themes

There is one major theme in the book of Proverbs, and that is wisdom. This ranges from the source of wisdom to the application of wisdom. The authors implore us to be mindful of our surroundings and to make wise decisions. 

One major piece of information we need to discuss about this book is the very nature of proverbs. A proverb is NOT a promise. Take this famous proverb from Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." This verse does NOT promise that if you are a godly parent your child will grow up to be godly. What it does say is that being a godly parent helps produce godly children. Not always, but it is a huge factor.

If you want an example of how this doesn't always come true, just look at God. God is our Father, the ultimate parent; but just how good did Israel turn out in the Old Testament? It is not God's fault that Israel chose to be sinful and depraved. What I can say for sure is that Israel never would have even had a chance of being holy if God hadn't loved them and given them his Word.

Theological Point

The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom, and it makes a very important point about wisdom right in chapter one. Proverbs 1:7 says "The fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." It all starts with God. 

True wisdom is understanding who God is and our relationship with him. We cannot be wise until we submit ourselves to his authority and instruction. As long as we refuse to recognize who we are in relation to God, we will never be able to see the world as we are meant to. It is only when we are on our knees before Christ that we see our lives and this world properly. That is wisdom.

Conclusion

I pray that this week you find true wisdom in surrendering to Christ. We often like to think that wisdom is based on our past experiences and trials, but true wisdom comes from recognizing who God is and submitting to him.