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Sometimes proverbs are like riddles—you need to ponder them to understand their true meaning. A sensible person will take the time to unpack these riddles and apply them to their everyday life.

Wisdom Trumps Knowledge

Wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing, although they are closely related and often inseparable. Knowledge comes from education, while wisdom comes from experience. Wisdom is knowing how to apply the knowledge we derive from learning.

Where Can Wisdom be Found?

In the midst of Job’s despair comes this “jewel” of a poem about wisdom.Stop and think for a moment about the most beautiful jewellery you have ever seen, perhaps in a museum. Think about how much these jewels are treasured. For centuries men have tunnelled underground to bring these things to light. Savour the description of vv 1-11.

Nostalgia

This whole chapter is one of nostalgia for the good times of the past. It is the first part of a train of thought that carries through to the end of chapter 31. The past is contrasted with the pain of the present (chapter 30) and a plea of innocence (chapter 31).

Health and Strength

Our local town had the dubious honour of being selected for Oprah’s Million Dollar Neighbourhood reality show. The show is based on the premise that it will encourage and teach people how to get out of debt. The first show of the season is designed to reveal just how bad people’s finances are. Houses are about to be lost, hoarders are revealed, extreme shopping habits are exposed, etc. Watching this, the temptation for me was to self-righteously ask, “How could they?”

God the Provider

Job 39 continues God’s discourse. The Lord continues to ask Job question after question, revealing how little Job understands about the world around him. Although the compassionate point of these questions is only seen in the next chapter, what God says here is still very meaningful.

What do I really want out of life?

The synopsis of this scripture passage could be put in the form of a question. Do you want “stuff” or would you rather a long, happy, pleasant life full of wealth and honour?

A friend tells the story of his mother and aunt who ingeniously developed a way to navigate the stampede for Black Friday deals.

Spectacular Displays

Throughout the book of Proverbs the author exhorts us concerning the merits of a life lived with wisdom at the core. In these verses he stops and presents us with examples of how God used wisdom, knowledge and understanding. It might appear obvious that God would use these tools to create the majesty of the mountains, rivers of earth and the far flung reaches of space with its spectacular displays. And of course the complexity of the natural laws and the systems in our human bodies would require immeasurable wisdom and knowledge.

Read More knowledge, understanding, wisdom

A Crown of Beauty

The writer of this proverb repeats his admonition to his son to “be wise and learn good sense.” He charges him to remember the advice and act upon it. Perhaps the father is imagining those times when his son will face challenges in his life and be tempted to follow a path that is not wise. He knows that if his son has pondered truth in his heart and mind, he will be more likely to follow it.

Three Steps

A lot of things seem to come in three’s. My favourite series of books is a threesome. When things break down in our home it always seems that three things go all at the same time. I can’t seem to sneeze only once or twice. It’s a proven fact that our minds are tuned to remember things that are grouped in triplicate.