The invitation to obtain wisdom is for everyone regardless of their aptitude, skills, knowledge, or position. Wisdom is like a woman who has prepared a feast, and invites everyone who is ignorant or foolish. No one is left out. Everything that God offers is available to us all and his offer is a recurring theme in the bible. Wisdom is not a simply a collection of wise sayings and actions. It stands on a support structure, pillars, on which the wise build their lives.
Read More worldview, wisdomWisdom begins with an understanding of God—who he is and how he responds to the world around us. In Jesus, we have the perfect example of who God is. Seeing the world through God’s eyes requires us to know him personally through his Son. We can do this by having a living relationship with Jesus and reading the Bible.
Read More success, discipleship, valuesWork hard and obey God. This is what parents try to teach their children for the duration of the time they are with them. From the moment children are born it is the parents’ task to prepare them to leave. If all words of wisdom to children could be summed up it would likely sound something like the above. If children learn these two things, they can leave home expecting to succeed in life.
Read More obedience, parental example, hard work, childrenWhat is good sense depends on your worldview. Good sense to some may mean slight deception in advertising to acquire wealth and please the shareholders. To others it means honesty and integrity, even at the cost of potential sales.
Read More listening, honesty, integrity, good senseContinuing on the same theme the writer assumes the reader understands the definition of “good sense.” Good sense is based on the supporting pillars of wisdom’s house (chapter 9:1), or, as has already been defined, as a God centred worldview
Read More correction, listening, good senseHow many times have we watched our favourite sports team almost win the game of the season only to be defeated by…themselves? Critical mistakes, foolish moves, perhaps over confidence caused the whole winning strategy to recoil against themselves regardless of their opponent’s skill. The same holds true in our lives. Often we are our own worst enemy.
Read More truthfulness, success, self-deceptionA clean conscience is perhaps one of the most stress-free states of living one can achieve. The blessings of God come with no dirty baggage, no laundered money. They are clean. Enjoy them with no regrets. He wanted you to have them. Nobody was hurt in the process so you don’t have to worry.
Read More wisdom, blessings, conscienceIt would great if we could take what this passage says at face value. The truth is there are some wonderful Christians whose life is shortened by tragedy or illness. Do Christians actually live longer than those who don’t follow Jesus? Loyal Christians in other parts of the world have been raped, murdered and butchered because of their faith. Even Jesus’ own twelve disciples, except one, according to tradition, fell victim to martyrdom.
Read More wisdom literature, justiceIn this passage the justice of God rings loud. God hates cheaters, it says. Does he really hate them? We know from the Gospels that God loves everyone so this statement should be read more as a human expression of how God views injustice. The Old Testament prophets talked more about justice issues in their own day than about what was going to happen in the “end times.”
Read More mercy, justice, honestyMuch of the Book of Proverbs contains wise words from the perspective of an experienced king. He saw those who were dishonest trip over their own dishonesty and come to ruin. He saw those who told lies get caught in the web of their own deceit. Their words were disregarded in public.
In this passage we read more of the same.
Read More leadership, integrity, influence, wisdom