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Don’t Just Find Wisdom – Keep It!

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hold on 01

Solomon promises blessing not only to those who find wisdom, but also to those who keep it. 

My son, do not lose sight of these—
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
And they will be life for your soul
And adornment for your neck.
Then you will walk on your way securely,
And your foot will not stumble.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden terror
Or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
For the Lord will be your confidence
And will keep your foot from being caught (Prov 3:21-26).

Solomon details for a second time how wisdom satisfies. First, notice what’s similar between this list (Prov 3:21-26) and the first one (Prov 3:13-18). Both sections consist of six verses with a key word near the beginning and ending: This time the key word is “keep” (although, to be technical, the two “keeps” in the Hebrew text are synonyms and not the same word). In addition, both sections give the same list of benefits. Here’s the list from 21-26:

  1. Life (Prov 3:22). Compare with “long life” on the first list.
  2. Adornment (Prov 3:22). Compare with “honor.” Wisdom makes you influential, so others will honor you.
  3. Security (Prov 3:23). Compare with “peace.” How could you be more secure than to have no (ultimately powerful) enemies?
  4. No fear (Prov 3:24-25). Compare with “pleasantness.” The more you grow in godliness, the less you will fear being ruined. God is drawing you near, not pushing you away. You’ll sleep better because of it.
  5. Confidence in the Lord (Prov 3:26). It’s possible that this item is parallel to “riches” on the first list. If so, Solomon explains what our true, lasting riches are: not anything found on earth at all, but a relationship with the Lord himself, made possible by the gift of his own righteousness.

Second, observe what’s different about the two sections: the first section is about “finding” wisdom and “getting” understanding (Prov 3:13), while the second section is about “keeping” them (Prov 3:21). It is not enough that we “find” wisdom (Prov 3:13). We must hold fast to it (Prov 3:18). We must never lose sight of it (Prov 3:21). We must keep it with us at all times (Prov 3:21). The difference is between beginning our journey and ending it. Remember that we never are wise; we can only become wise. Wise people are those who keep moving in the right direction. It might sound cliché, but it’s true: Wisdom is a journey, not a destination. The moment we slow down, we’ve lost our way.

The purpose of this journey is to take us to the Lord. Remember from chapter 1 that the wise are those who are moving toward the Lord. It is critical that we stay this course.

As we “keep” wisdom, the Lord himself will “keep” us from being caught (Prov 3:26). Caught by what, exactly?

  1. Caught by our own love for being simple? Yes: See Prov 1:22.
  2. Caught by others who will trample us on their way to self-fulfillment? Yes: See Prov 2:12-19.
  3. Caught by the disappointment of living in a fallen world where things do not usually turn out as we expect? Yes: See Prov 3:11-12.
  4. Caught by our proclivity to believe that money, or anything else we might desire, will give us the life, honor, pleasantness, and peace we’re looking for? Yes: See Prov 3:14-15.

God doesn’t want any of these things to ensnare you. Don’t ever let wisdom out of your grasp; chase after it every day. (See Prov 19:27.) Only wisdom can give the satisfaction you’re looking for.

One of my daughters loves fruit. She pursues it like a young lover; she consumes it like an American. She’ll lie like an incumbent to get it, and she’ll scream like a banshee if you take it. We took her strawberry picking once, before she could even walk, and she came home with the juice saturating her jumper, giving her the look of a cannibalistic fiend. She’ll rush through dessert just to get more fruit. Thirty minutes later, she’ll ask for more fruit in a cup to carry around the house and munch on. She’s simply insatiable, and our produce budget can’t keep up.

We should be like that when it comes to wisdom.

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

How Jonah Points to Jesus

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Joanna Kimbrel lists and explains four ways the book of Jonah points ahead to Jesus.

  1. Obedience to the call
  2. Cast down to death
  3. Three days in the deep
  4. Messengers of mercy

The story of Jonah is more than a Sunday school tale about a big fish—it’s a shadow of the Savior to come. Jesus is the true and better Jonah. In every act of disobedience and deliverance, resistance and redemption, Jonah points us to Jesus: the obedient Son, the sovereign Lord, the risen Savior, and the merciful Redeemer.

Check it out!

The Blessings of Finding Wisdom

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Last week, we saw that those who find wisdom receive blessings. This week we’ll unpack what exactly those blessings are.

"Treasure Chest" by Tom Garnett (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License
“Treasure Chest” by Tom Garnett (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace (Prov 3:16-17).

Look at what awaits you if you find wisdom:

  1. Long life (Prov 3:16). We saw previously that Solomon understands “long life” to go beyond the grave. You may or may not make it to age 100, but the life mentioned here is something far more significant. It is a “tree of life” (Prov 3:18). God took the tree of life from Adam and Eve when they sinned (Gen 3:22-24), but Jesus promised to give it back to everyone who endures in faith to the end: “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Rev 2:7). Finding wisdom is part of this restoration process.
  2. Riches (Prov 3:16). Wisdom does not promise you more money; Solomon just said he’s offering something better than money (Prov 3:14-15)! The Lord offers a treasure that, unlike money, delivers from death: “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death” (Prov 10:2). Wisdom’s wealth is God’s righteousness, now available through Jesus. It provides acceptance and rescue. (See Rom 3:21-26.)
  3. Honor (Prov 3:16). It might not mean that everyone likes you. But there is a general trust and influence that results when you are gracious and humble, fearing the Lord: “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life” (Prov 22:4). Insightful people will see the outcome of your wise life and call you blessed (Prov 3:18). In Little Women, dying Beth finds a note written by her sister Jo enumerating her virtues and bestowing such honor as Solomon pledges. Her response? “Have I been all that to you, Jo? … Then I don’t feel as if I’d wasted my life. I’m not so good as you make me, but I have tried to do right.”
  4. Pleasantness (Prov 3:17). When you seek wisdom, you may still suffer, but ultimately your way to God will become straight: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…and he will make straight your paths” (Prov 3:5-6). In other words, God’s will for you will become crystal clear: “For this is the will of God: your sanctification” (1 Thess 4:3). You will seek him and love him more every day. His commandments will seem more pleasant and less burdensome as you grow closer to him.
  5. Peace (Prov 3:17). Our war with God has come to an end: “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). We can now be agents of reconciliation for others as well: “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself…and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18-19). This peace will spill into every other relationship, wreaking havoc on disorder and waging war against conflict.

Why do we settle for less?

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

Delighting in Matthew’s Genealogy of Jesus

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Bruce Henning doesn’t want you to skip over the genealogy that begins Matthew’s gospel.

Though we acknowledge these verses as Scripture, we tend to see this prime real estate at the beginning of the New Testament as wasted space—inspired but not interesting. Skipping past this introductory genealogy can be tempting, but if we read it slowly and thoughtfully, we’ll see its value. The genealogy communicates the correct genre of Matthew’s Gospel, shows that Jesus is heir of the Davidic covenant, and outlines the problem the Messiah has come to solve.

Check it out!

Finding Wisdom is Better than Anything

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We think we’re blessed when life goes well for us. But Proverbs says we’re blessed if we find wisdom.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
And the one who gets understanding,
For the gain from her is better than gain from silver
And her profit better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
And nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
Those who hold her fast are called blessed (Prov 3:13-18).

Thia section begins and ends with the word “blessed.” Notice the many blessings that come when one “finds wisdom” and “gets understanding” (Prov 3:13).

"Treasure Chest" by Tom Garnett (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License
“Treasure Chest” by Tom Garnett (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Prov 3:14-15 says that wisdom’s blessings are “better.” We’re often drawn to things like silver, gold, and jewels to give us value and satisfaction, but Solomon promises that what we gain from wisdom is better than whatever we might gain from such treasures. “But we don’t care about money,” we might say. “There are far more important things in life. Love, family, reputation, productivity, influence, world peace, pets, and chocolate all come to mind.” Solomon brushes every one aside with a sweeping, “And nothing you desire can compare with her” (Prov 1:15).

Consider the implications of this verse. Finding wisdom is a greater blessing than having sex, even if you waited until marriage. Wisdom is more satisfying than Thanksgiving dinner. Wisdom will make you happier than conceiving a child will. If your goal is to graduate, get a job, find a soul mate, help the needy, gain a hearing, start a business, write a book, join a band, fit in, get your kids through college, protect your kids from losing their faith in college, master theology, find a good church, go fishing, win the election, pay the bills, grow your church, buy a house, retire comfortably, live close to your grandchildren, leave a legacy, or be left alone — then your goal is too small. It won’t satisfy you. All of these things are good, but none of them can compare to wisdom.

We think we’re experts in satisfaction, but we’re like adolescents absorbed in hand-held video games at the beach: captivated in our own world while missing out on all the real fun.

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

How Old and New Testaments View the First and Second Comings of Christ

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Tommy Keene summarizes the differences between how Old and New Testament authors viewed the first and second comings of Christ.

The idea that the Messiah Jesus would come twice was a surprise to his disciples. The Old Testament is clear that a Messiah would come, and it is also clear what the Messiah would do when he did. God’s servant-king would have mercy on the repentant (Mic. 7:18-20), save the oppressed, poor, and persecuted (Ps. 146:7-8), heal the sick (Isa. 35:5-6), preach and teach the righteous way (Dtr. 18:15-19), make atonement for his people (Isa. 53:4-6), and bring justice to the world (Isa. 11:1-5)—in sum, he would establish a perfect version of God’s kingdom, which would bring blessing to God’s people and against all His enemies (Ps. 2). When the Old Testament discusses theses things, it often looks like it happens all at once, but in fact a complete fulfillment would require two visits.

Check it out!

Wisdom in Satisfaction

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Over the last few weeks, we considered how wisdom speaks to our disappointment; now we’ll see that wisdom speaks to our satisfaction as well. The choices we make toward wisdom or folly can have a significant impact on the quality of our lives.

past and future sign

I know an aged couple who live an enviable retirement. They use their freedom to serve others more than themselves. The husband, a former pastor, provides free or cheap preaching to small churches that lack a full-time minister. The wife grows her own garden, cooks her own meals, and drives her own car. Although in their 80s, they frequent the local gym for aerobic exercise. They snack on oranges every evening, are living off their own savings, and get to see their grandchildren regularly.

Another elderly couple in my acquaintance unfortunately does not experience such delightful blessings. Their bodies have deteriorated from years of gluttony and various addictions. They have few friends because their conversation generally drifts into some sort of gossip or complaining. Their money has long since run out, and their children tire under the burden of both caring for them and negotiating matters with their creditors. I love these folks dearly, but I’m saddened by their situation.

I’m not arguing that it’s easy to make good choices, nor that the good life always results when wise people make righteous choices. My aim is simply to show that we don’t have to look very hard to uncover evidence of the fact that deeds have consequences. The chief consequence of wisdom is satisfaction: not in ourselves, but in the Lord Jesus. Satisfaction comes from having our desires met or exceeded, which can happen only through Jesus, who is our “wisdom from God” (1 Cor 1:30).

In this section of Proverbs, Solomon explains that there is tremendous satisfaction for those who find (Prov 3:13-18) and keep (Prov 3:21-26) wisdom. The reason is simple: God designed it this way so we’d be satisfied in him (Prov 3:19-20). As Augustine so keenly observed, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you” (Confessions, I.1.).

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

Learning Prayer from Daniel

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John Koning has a helpful piece at TGC Africa about what we can learn about prayers of confession from Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9.

Time was almost up! This biblical truth stirred Daniel’s heart. But instead of throwing a party for the Hebrews in exile, he prays. For God’s promises and sure word aren’t a reason for inactivity and passivity. They’re fuel for confident prayer. It’s a simple dynamic: from the Bible to prayer. The Puritans said it like this: ‘When you pray, show God his own word, for he is tender towards his own handwriting.’

Check it out!

Disappointment Draws Us Near

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For several years, a woman in our church has had a form of cancer, which requires her to periodically drive two hours to a major medical center and have her entire bloodstream filtered through a big machine. It’s both painful and exhausting, but she never complains about it. She speaks instead of the opportunities she had to share the Gospel with her nurses. She rejects depression and embraces God’s mastery of her life, and she becomes both refreshed and refreshing to be around.

"It's Mr. Chemo" by IndyDina (2007), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license
“It’s Mr. Chemo” by IndyDina (2007), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Lately, her doctors have tried chemotherapy. The last time she did it, she had a life-threatening allergic reaction, which required immediate aborting of the treatment. The next day her mother had a heart attack. The day after that, she was in a car accident. The following Sunday in church (yeah, she still came to church), she praised God for sparing her from the normal side effects of chemo – since it hadn’t worked – so she could care for her ailing parents better.

Ask this woman if she’s disappointed with how life is shaking out for her, and she’ll weep. You’ll probably weep, too. She shows how the disappointment never goes away until Jesus comes back.

But at the same time, she reflects the wisdom of Christ. She refuses to feel sorry for herself. Her disappointment drives her closer to God, through the grace of Jesus. I’m a wuss compared to her, but God loves me and won’t let me stay there. What about you?

Our study of Proverbs 3:1-12 has shown us how disappointment works, and how the wise will refashion it for God’s glory. Are you willing to view your disappointment as God’s intentional love?

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

Another Take on the Definition of “Vanity” in Ecclesiastes

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Ecclesiastes is a very difficult book to understand, yet it rewards great effort and careful thought. One of the major challenges, however, is to grasp even a bare definition of the book’s most important word. The main versions translate the word as vanity, futility, or meaninglessness. All of these options have real downsides.

From my analysis of the text’s own use of the word in chapter 1, I arrived at the following definition: “Unsatisfying, endless repetition of old things that nobody will remember; nothing you do will last, and at the end you die. And you can’t fix it.” The biggest problem with that definition is that it would never work as a translation. You can’t insert two sentences (with one of them being a run-on) into the text every time the word appears.

So I’ve appreciated Kevin Carson’s approach, to define the word as frustratingly enigmatic. If you want just one word for it, take your pick: Frustrating? Enigmatic?

Now here comes Bobby Jamieson with another fabulous option:

The fact that life’s goods are all fleeting is certainly part of their problem. But to say that hevel means “fleeting” doesn’t go far enough. It doesn’t fully capture Qohelet’s basic beef with life under the sun.

What does? “Absurd.”

This word names the disconnect between what we want and what the world gives, between what we deserve and what the world returns, between what we cry out for and the world’s indifferent silence.

Remember, the Bible’s original languages are not like a technical code to crack. So it’s not the case that there’s only one “right” way to translate this Hebrew word in Ecclesiastes. There are a number of options that could work well in English that do better justice to the book’s argument than “vanity” or “meaninglessness.”

So I encourage you to read Jamieson’s article to find out why “absurd” might be another simple way to capture the idea that took me two sentences to define.

Check it out!