I was listening to a message earlier, and the speaker mentioned that there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, and that would make an ideal month- long study. I really like the idea of reading through Proverbs a chapter at a time, and writing down ideas here. I would love to hear any ideas you guys might have too! Let’s get started!
Chapter 1
Some verses that really jumped out at me are the ones I have posted below:
“A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.”
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
(Proverbs 1:1-33 NASB)
I think anyone who has been in school has experienced the difference between simply hearing something and learning it. I think about college, and how during the first two years you have to go through gen ed classes. Sometimes you find a really good class, and the material being taught is really interesting to you. I think stereotypically, however, we often take classes during the first two years simply to satisfy pre-requisites, and so we can check them off the list of required classes. In my experience, I remember just having to endure some of my gen ed classes, and make it through to the end of the semester. I can’t recall things I learned in those classes at all. But during the last two years of classes, most majors have you taking classes that are specific to the career field you are going into. Those are the classes I remember. I can safely say I became “wiser” in these classes because I saw the need to absorb this information and take the time to understand it.
I think this applies outside a school setting. Being wise means not only hearing something and moving on… It means hearing it and increasing in learning. Think this especially applies with reading the bible. It is easy to pick up my bible and read a few paragraphs, set it down, and forget what I read. That’s not at all what God intended though! Wisdom is reading God’s word, struggling with it, thinking about it, wrestling with it, and then living it.
Another important note here is that it is important to seek wise counsel. I am so blessed to be surrounded by wise counsel at my church, Living Hope. Every Monday, several of the men in the church get together for bible study, and we read scripture, and also talk about the tough stuff. I remember the night I had to choose which school I would transfer to for this year was the same night as men’s bible study. This was no accident or coincidence. I think God really wanted me to be able to talk about this with the guys and get their counsel and prayers. I can talk to these guys about pretty much anything.
How about you guys? What do you think it means to be wise? I also want to know what you think about what it means to fear the Lord? This is something I have wondered about for a long time.
I feel like there is more to write, but I am hitting a block right now. Thoughts? Concerns? High- fives?
johnnydeegs 