Proverbs | Knowable Word

Wisdom and Hope

December 5, 2025 By Peter Krol

I’m Stuck

I’ve been stuck for some time. There’s a certain person I’ve known most of my life who is very difficult to get along with. Our personalities clash, and our tastes diverge on just about everything. He doesn’t know Christ yet; thus, he doesn’t understand most of the life choices I’ve made. I’ve often felt personally attacked by his comments and attitudes.

I want this person to meet Christ and find life, but when we converse I end up feeling like I’m about 8 years old again and helpless to change things. After I got married, my wife helped me to see that all hope was not lost; God had provided many opportunities to build a healthier relationship. My self-protective fear had prevented me from seeing these opportunities, and the fear of the Lord would give me the wisdom to make changes. Only after I stopped worrying about protecting myself and started seeking to represent Christ, did I have hope that the relationship could get better. I have a long way to go, but I want to do whatever it takes to travel this path one step at a time.

Proverbs 4 explains the vital connection between wisdom and hope. If we don’t fear the Lord, we won’t be open to change. If we’re not open to change, we won’t change. If we don’t change, we’ll fail as agents of redemption to those around us. We won’t inspire them with hope that they can change. Then—guess what?—nothing ever changes.

Are You Stuck?

Are you stuck? Stuck in a bad habit, a bad relationship, or a bad situation? Has your life failed to meet your expectations? Are you always too busy? Do the years keep flying by, yet without moving beyond the “same old, same old”?

For example, have you committed sexual immorality in the past? Will you ever be able to forget the memories or mental images? Can the damage done to yourself and others ever be undone? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

Are you married to an angry, hurtful person? Is your relationship caught in the endless cycle of attack-remorse-apology without any lasting change? How could you ever forgive? Can you get more help? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

Were your parents critical of your every move? Did they care at all? As you grew up, did they miss all your major milestones? Did they abuse you verbally, physically, emotionally, or sexually? How could you possibly trust another person again? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

Have your grown children rejected the Lord? Have you tried to win them back by every available means? Might you have been part of the problem, pushing them away with ungracious legalism, unrealistic expectations, harsh judgments, or emotional neediness? Can they ever return to the Lord or to a healthy relationship with you? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

There’s Hope

I’m not saying that the answers to these questions are easy. I’m not saying that wisdom will eliminate your pain and disappointment. But what I am saying is that there’s hope. One of our own poets, speaking of that hope which rises from fearing the Lord, said:

Hope springs eternal in the human breast:
Man never Is but always To be blest.[1]

There’s always hope. Real hope that it can change. Do nothing, and it will certainly get worse. But fear the Lord, and it just might get better.

Proverbs 4:1-27 has three distinct units, each beginning with an address to one or more “sons.” The theme of “life” links the sections together. Solomon’s advice goes like this: First, do whatever it takes to get wisdom, and you’ll find life (Prov 4:1-9). Second, contrast the two roads before you to see which one leads to the life (Prov 4:10-19). Third, let the life become a part of who you are, and it will change everything you do (Prov 4:20-27). In other words, because God makes his life available in Jesus Christ, those who turn to him have hope that anything can change.[2]

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

[1] Alexander Pope, Essay on Man

[2] I’m indebted to Waltke, Proverbs 1-15, pp.274-301 for the structure and main points of Proverbs 4. (Disclosure: This is an affiliate link, so if you click it and buy stuff from Amazon, your purchase will help to support our site at no extra cost to yourself.)

When Humility is not Easy

November 28, 2025 By Peter Krol

It’s easy to forget humility and act like violent men when facing certain types of people. We’ll find help with three groups of people by considering the three places where New Testament authors quote Proverbs 3:34.

1. Those who have hurt me deeply

James has this first group in mind when he quotes Proverbs 3:34 to instruct the community to stop quarreling (Jas. 4:1-12). James argues that we each tend to love ourselves more than anyone else, so we fight for our rights. In the course of such conflict, we get hurt and want to retaliate. Instead, we must remember that our desires cannot give us what they promise. So we must turn to the Lord, because he always gives more grace than the world does. As we fear the Lord instead of focusing on ourselves, we become more humble people. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6).

2. Those who don’t deserve my trust

Peter has this second group in mind when he quotes Proverbs 3:34 to instruct the church to submit to the elders (1 Pet. 5:1-11). Elders are shepherds of the flock of God, but they must never be mistaken for the Chief Shepherd. When we put our leaders in the place of Jesus, they fail to deliver because they are neither divine nor sinless. When they fail, we tend to become disillusioned, anxious for the future of the church, and proud in our own opinions. Instead, we ought to fear the Lord more than we fear failure. This makes us both humble and effective, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5).

3. All the rest

Paul has all of us in mind when he draws us back to Christ’s humility to empower our own (Phil. 2:1-18). Does Christ encourage you? Does his love comfort you? Do you participate in his Spirit? Has God shown any affection or sympathy toward you? Jesus gave up what he deserved (his rights as God) and took on what he did not deserve (the role of a servant, the limitations of a human body, and the utter disgrace of death by crucifixion). He did it to rescue you from what you deserve (God’s judgment) and to give you what you do not deserve (God’s pleasure). Paul was so affected by Jesus’ humility that he was prepared to die himself if it meant his people would hold these truths more dearly.

Loving others wisely and humbly is not optional for followers of Christ. It’s the meat and potatoes of living by faith in community with other sinners. Wisdom must penetrate this crucial area of our lives. The fear of the Lord is the beginning, and when you fear the Lord you can’t help but become like him. That means dying for others, even if they’ve hurt you or if they don’t deserve it. When Jesus’ humility grips you, it changes everything about you. Don’t turn inward and deny yourself the opportunity to fear the Lord and know Jesus in his humility. As Raymond Ortlund writes:

If you would like to experience God with that humility, here is how you can. You look at the cross. You see a wise man hanging there, dying in the place of fools like you, because he loves you. You may despise him, but he does not despise you. You may be above him, but he humbled himself for you. Look there at him. Look away from yourself. Look at him, and keep looking until your pride melts. You will not only worship, you will begin to grow wise.[1]

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

[1] Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Kindle location 537-540.

Disclosure: This link is an Amazon affiliate link. If you click it and buy stuff from Amazon, your purchase will help support our site.

Why We Harm Others

October 31, 2025 By Peter Krol

In seeking wise humility, we must not pridefully withhold good or plan evil against others. To help us, the center of Proverbs 3:27-35 illuminates our motivations.

Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways (Prov. 3:31, ESV)

If God opposes the proud so severely, why would anyone ever choose such a path? Because, Solomon reasons, we are tempted to envy violent people.

Remember our discussion about violent people from Proverbs 1:10-19? The attraction to violence is that it will gain us more stuff. And more stuff means improved security and increased community, or so we think.

We love ourselves enough to believe anything just to get a little satisfaction. We’ll even believe that “love your neighbor as yourself” means that we first have to love ourselves. Nowhere, however, does the Bible command us to love ourselves; it assumes that we already do. Whenever we put ourselves at the center of the universe, we are choosing to act like violent men. The antidote to such a poisonous choice is to fear the Lord, who really is at the center of the universe. “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day” (Prov. 23:17).

If you’re anything like me, you may have a hard time with this teaching. I want to love people; I really do. I’ll do whatever God wants me to do for most of the people in the world. There are just a select few whom I can’t love. In particular, there are those who have hurt me deeply, and those who don’t deserve my trust because of some failure on their part.

Next week, we’ll see how the New Testament applies Proverbs 3 to these situations.

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

God Opposes the Proud

October 24, 2025 By Peter Krol

Wisdom is humble. Humility means putting others first. But why does it matter?

For the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
But the upright are in his confidence.
The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
But he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
Toward the scorners he is scornful,
But to the humble he gives favor.
The wise will inherit honor,
But fools get disgrace. (Prov. 3:32-35)

R. Nial Bradshaw (2013), Creative Commons

This section has four statements about God’s perspective on those who obey or disobey the commands of Prov. 3:27-30. The first three show first God’s displeasure toward the disobedient, followed by his favor toward the obedient. The fourth statement reverses the order, signaling the end of the section.

The language here is not moderate. “Abomination” (Prov. 3:32) may be the strongest possible term to express hatred. The devious person, who builds himself up by tearing others down, is an object of God’s extreme hatred (Prov. 3:32). The wicked, who ignores God’s instruction and goes his own way, is thwarted by God at every turn (Prov. 3:33). Scorners, who always believe they know better than everyone else, receive the Lord’s scorn (Prov. 3:34). Fools, who love simplicity and refuse to learn wisdom, become disgraceful examples of what not to do (Prov. 3:35).

What’s abominable to God is often distasteful to others as well. I’m sure you’ve seen (or been) the person who’s so focused on himself that he brings his own disgrace. Comedian Brian Regan, with surprising insight, cautions us to “Beware the Me Monster.”

I made the mistake of trying to tell a story about having only two wisdom teeth pulled, and I learned a lesson: Don’t ever try to tell a two-wisdom-teeth story because you ain’t goin’ nowhere. The four-wisdom-teeth people are going to parachute in and cut you off at the pass. ‘Halt! Halt with your two-wisdom-tooth tale!’ You will never complete one; trust me.[1]

The “Me Monster” is the person who always focuses on himself. Even the world recognizes how ugly this behavior is.

In contrast, the upright person, who imitates God’s pattern of selfless love, is brought into God’s intimate circle (Prov. 3:32). The righteous one, who trusts in God’s provision and not his own performance, receives God’s backing for every endeavor (Prov. 3:33). The humble person, who considers others more important than himself, is given favor from the Lord (Prov. 3:34). The wise person, who never stops learning and loving, gets praise from the King of Heaven (Prov. 3:35).

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. These two roads lead in opposite directions, and there’s not much room between them. Where do you fall?

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

[1] From Regan’s video I Walked On the Moon.

Do Not Plan Evil

October 17, 2025 By Peter Krol

In teaching about wisdom and humility, Solomon’s first warning was against keeping what we have; this second warning is against taking what we want.

Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
Who dwells trustingly beside you.
Do not contend with a man for no reason,
When he has done you no harm. (Prov 3:29-30)

Wise people put others first, protecting their well-being. They don’t steal possessions by borrowing and not returning. They don’t steal time by not listening well. They don’t pick fights. They don’t argue about meaningless things. When a disagreement is significant, they work to persuade and woo, rather than coerce or manipulate.

“Do not contend” (Prov. 3:30) has a legal ring to it, referring to foolish lawsuits, but it implies much more than court proceedings. We ought to avoid damaging someone’s reputation needlessly. We ought to be as concerned for others’ reputations as we are for our own. Wise people don’t spread the dirt on others (Prov. 20:19); they refuse even to listen to it (Prov. 26:20-22). Whenever they hear someone’s “concerns” about another person or group, they make sure to get the whole story before coming to any conclusions (Prov. 18:13, 17).

I must confess that I am guilty. I have jumped to conclusions about others. I have listened to bad reports, and I’ve spread them foolishly. I haven’t always done my research, making sure to hear all sides of a matter. I can think of times when my information was true, but still should not have been passed on (Prov. 25:7b-10). I once prided myself on my ability to discern what needed to change for any person in any situation, and all along I was the one who most needed to change.

When we put ourselves at the center, we commit all kinds of evil against others, and we train ourselves to make it look good and religious. We stop listening to the Word of Wisdom, and we listen instead to the world around us. For example, I once sat innocently in a fast food restaurant, and my cup started preaching at me. No joke. It said:

This cup makes a statement about you. It says, ‘Hey, look at me. I’m an ambitious yet responsible person.’ You could have gone larger, but you didn’t. You could have gone smaller, but again, you deferred. No, you know exactly what you want in life, nothing more, nothing less. It’s good when you have things your way.[1]

We fall for garbage like this all the time, but the Lord calls us out of a pat-yourself-on-the-back, you-know-what’s-best-for-you mindset. When we fear him, being open to change, our focus steadily moves off ourselves and onto others. Our pride melts, and loving others becomes our delight. Before we know it, our relationship with the Lord hits fifth gear.

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

[1] Printed on the cup of a Burger King® medium-sized soft drink.

Do Not Withhold Good

October 10, 2025 By Peter Krol

Humility means putting other people first. This discipline excludes a number of proud and self-protective behaviors.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
Tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. (Prov 3:27-28)

The Principle

“Do not withhold good.” Easy, right? t means you get out of the way when other drivers want to merge into your lane. At least if they’re not too aggressive about it. But who are those “to whom it is due”? Believe it or not, this question requires wisdom, as we can easily fall into several self-justifying errors.

The first error is to define “those to whom it is due” so broadly that you invest all your time and resources in the wrong people. There will always be poor and needy among us who require assistance. Christ’s followers should be known as those who give and serve as generously as their Lord did. But there are certain kinds of people who won’t be helped by our charity. We ought to exercise discernment in such cases.

To give a few examples: Proverbs warns against angry people whom we ought not rescue (Prov. 19:19), gossiping people whom we ought not associate with (Prov. 20:19), and foolish people whom we ought not even try to convince (Prov. 23:9). Don’t err by expending the Lord’s resources on the wrong people in the hope of being the kind of savior that only Jesus can be for them. Solomon will return to this point in Proverbs 6:1-5, so I’ll expand on it there.

The second error, however, is to define “those to whom it is due” so narrowly that no mortal person could ever qualify. In this case, we’re willing to help those who have real need; we just haven’t ever met any of them. We’ll give money, as long as the person has a job, a history of successful financial management, and a foolproof system of accountability in place. We act as though there is no room for mistakes with God’s resources.

Take note, however, that Solomon uses the word “neighbor” in Prov. 3:28, and the Bible suggests that “neighbor” is a pretty broad category. (See Luke 10:25-37.) We can’t justify our failure by obscuring what God has made clear.

Both errors result directly from pride. The first one says “I can be Jesus for this person.” The second one says, “Not even Jesus could help that person.” In both, I put myself at the center, and I have not cultivated the fear of the Lord.

Application

There are many ways we can apply this aspect of humility, but two especially come to mind for our generation. We must not withhold truth in confrontation, and we must not withhold life in evangelism.

Confrontation

Let’s admit it: we simply don’t know how to do it well. The Bible says, “You shall reason frankly with your neighbor” (Lev. 19:17), and I say, “but I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” The Bible says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6), and I say, “but I’d better let him have it.” In other words, we usually make the Sucker’s Choice[1] between being truthful or being respectful, but the Bible commands us always to do both. If we disagreed with each other more honestly and more respectfully, we’d make better decisions, resolve more conflicts, and build deeper relationships. As William Blake wrote in “A Poison Tree,”

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Evangelism

I’ll admit it: I generally don’t want to do it well. It would mean I’d have less time for what I want to do. I couldn’t hide behind my fears, nurturing them and helping them to flourish in my heart. People might not like me. It would be awkward and uncomfortable, and 5 minutes of comfort matter more to me than someone’s possible eternity in hell. Can you relate?

Now I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. No, my point is that you and I are guilty. Jesus knew it, and he died for us anyway. So we’re free to confess frankly, repent, and keep moving forward. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

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

[1] Phrase borrowed from Patterson, et al, Crucial Conversations (New York: McGraw Hill, 2002). (Affiliate link)

Wisdom and Humility

October 3, 2025 By Peter Krol

James J Jenkins (2009), Creative Commons

Wisdom takes flight in relationships. It begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7), gains momentum through seeking and finding (Prov. 2:1-8), and accelerates when we resist easy money and easy sex (Prov. 2:12-19). In order to gain altitude, however, wisdom must be lived out humbly in relationships with real people. Let me give an example.

I recently received some sharp criticism of my leadership in a particular area. The critic was a friend who wanted to help, but he overstated his position with unexpected severity. I was hurt and offended. I wanted to protect myself. I had lost my security—someone’s good will—and had to muster my self-respect. To prevent a total loss, I prepared a masterful retaliatory strike.

Without realizing it, I had come to a crossroads with two paths before me: Would I choose the way of wisdom or the decline to folly? In other words, did I believe all this stuff I was writing about wisdom, the fear of the Lord, and openness to change? Would I live the truth out in my words and thoughts? Would I despise instruction or humbly receive correction?

We all face the same choice every day. Whenever other people are involved, our decisions demonstrate either humble wisdom or self-reliant folly. Will we fear the Lord, breeding true humility, thinking of others more than ourselves? Or will we turn inward and love ourselves most of all?

As Rick Warren put it, “humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” In other words, both “I’m awesome” and “I’m a terrible person” are proud statements. The humble person chooses simply not to focus on himself, positively or negatively. The humble person puts others first, loving them at least as much as he loves himself. Such a person models Jesus’ life-giving death.

In the next section of Proverbs (Prov 3:27-35), Solomon prohibits a number of proud and self-protective behaviors (Prov. 3:27-30) and catalogues God’s opinions of people who engage in them (Prov. 3:32-35). Like the previous section, this passage has a center (Prov. 3:31), which this time exposes the heart of our selfish behavior.

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

Find Your Satisfaction in Jesus

September 19, 2025 By Peter Krol

God’s example shows us the way of satisfaction. His empowerment fuels our search for satisfaction. But most importantly, his Son motivates our satisfaction and makes it possible, because he shows us that the Lord’s satisfaction is more important than our own.

Jesus satisfied God’s justice so we could be satisfied by his mercy. Jesus filled himself with our sin so we could be filled with his righteousness. Jesus is ready; we have only to ask for more of him, and we’ll be the most satisfied people on the planet: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). Wisdom pushes us toward the Lord to rub shoulders with his Son, who is our life.

If you are the unhappy romantic, you might look to Jesus’ example to show you how to love. You might even ask for his Spirit to help you love rightly. In the end, however, your only hope is to rest in the fact that Jesus already loves and respects you. He suffered for your failure to obey him, and God treats you as his son or daughter – as though Jesus’ obedience were your own.

Drawing nearer to the Lord through the grace of Christ will melt your heart and conform it to his heart. Then it won’t be so bad if you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend; all you’ll need is Christ. If you do get hitched, you’ll do it for Jesus and not yourself, which is so much more satisfying. It’s okay if another person lets you down, because Jesus never will.

I know someone who is totally satisfied with his life. He has a high-powered professional career, a beautiful and delightful girlfriend, a lovely home in the heart of a large city, and a perfect home theater system. He has plenty of golfing buddies. His future looks good. His goals are clear. I love this man, and I pray that he’ll get to know Christ. I’ve tried telling him the Good News, but how do you convince someone that he needs Jesus when he already has everything he wants? What concerns me most is not that he wants too much, but that he doesn’t really want enough. He settles for small corporeal pleasures, but doesn’t see that these things will end up letting him down. Please pray for him, and for others you know like him, that his quest for satisfaction would culminate in the best place possible: with Jesus.

And let’s be the kind of people who turn to the Lord for our satisfaction and reflect his joy and glory in everything we do.

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

Satisfaction is God’s Design

September 12, 2025 By Peter Krol

Satisfaction is the fruit of both finding and keeping wisdom. Why?

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding he established the heavens;
By his knowledge the deeps broke open,
And the clouds drop down the dew (Prov 3:19-20).

These two verses form the hinge on which the main point of Prov 3:13-26 swings: God designed the universe by means of wisdom. Wisdom is not an end in itself; it ought to lead us to the Lord and Giver of wisdom. Thus, finding satisfaction in wisdom really means finding satisfaction in the Lord. There are at least three biblical reasons why this point is significant.

1. In creating the world, God demonstrated wisdom.

"The Old World" by Mark H. Evans (2010), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — Mark H. Evans (2010), Creative Commons

When God created the world, he set an example for us to follow. He exhibited wisdom then, and he expects us to imitate him now. In particular, Genesis 1 describes how God made a world that was initially dark, shapeless, and empty: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep” (Gen 1:2). He proceeded to give it light (Gen 1:3, 14), shape (Gen 1:4-10, 17-18), and stuff (Gen 1:11-12, 20-25). After doing so, he made people “in his own image,” expecting them to imitate his model (Gen 1:26-28). It pleases God when we bring the light of truth to the darkness, the shape of organization to the wildness, and the fullness of more worshipers to all the corners of the earth. We can do this personally (as we grow in Christ), corporately (as we join and serve a church), or socially (as we engage the culture or help those in need). Such is wisdom: Follow God’s example.

What does God’s example have to do with satisfaction? We’ve already seen the blessings of finding and keeping wisdom. It will go well for us when we do things God’s way. God demonstrates how life works best. When we imitate him, we reap the satisfying fruit of it. Or, to approach it conversely: If you want to know the right thing to do, you’ll have to go to the Lord to find out what it is. Wisdom pushes us toward the Lord to learn his ways.

For example, many single people seek satisfaction in romance. Since Jesus’ relationship with the Church sets the pattern for all human romance (Eph 5:22-33), finding wisdom in this realm begins with imitating Jesus’ example. That means men must learn to serve others more than themselves (Eph 5:25). They should become mature enough to teach the Bible (Eph 5:26), and influential enough to help others flourish (Eph 5:27). Women will benefit from holding out for such men, so they can have husbands worth following on their journey toward the Lord. I advise singles to habitually imitate Jesus’ character before dating another person. Failing to do so will result in unsatisfying romance, which is worse than having no romance at all.

2. In enthroning mankind, God provided wisdom.

"Plug" by Rob Pongsajapan (2005), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — Rob Pongsajapan (2005), Creative Commons

At the end of God’s creating work, he gave humanity the authority to rule the world as his representatives: “Fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over…every living thing” (Gen 1:28). They were to care for and protect God’s possessions with love and respect: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). When God entrusted people with this task, he did not leave them ill-equipped. He gave them everything they needed: clear instructions (Gen 1:28, 2:16-17), nutrition (Gen 1:29-30), hydration (Gen 2:10-14), aesthetics (Gen 2:9: “every tree that is pleasant to the sight”), and life (Gen 2:7). He even spelled out the consequences of failure so they’d know what to expect: “in the day that you eat of [the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] you shall surely die” (Gen 2:17). In short, he gave them both the knowledge of what to do, and the resources to carry it out. He built wisdom right into the world so they could download it into their hearts. Such is wisdom: Receive God’s help.

What does God’s empowerment have to do with satisfaction? God’s gift to the wise is not only the strength to make wise choices, but also the satisfaction found in doing so. (See Ecc 5:18-20.) If you need strength to do what God wants you to do, you’ll have to seek God to get it. He is the giver of instruction and ability. Wisdom pushes us toward the Lord to receive his power for living.

Let’s say you have a history of unwise dating relationships. You can’t resist a nice body or an attentive ear. You get the attention you desire, but you desire more of it all the time. Because you haven’t learned self-control and self-sacrifice, you can’t keep your lips or hands off your partner. You feel guilty every time you cross the line, but you can see your resolve weakening. You know what Jesus wants you to do. You know what he would do in your place. It’s just so hard to do it yourself. What hope is there that you can find and keep wisdom, and be satisfied in doing so?

Know that if you trust in Jesus, his Spirit is within you. He is at work in you to carry out his will. He can make you more faithful and selfless than you thought possible. His example might encourage you, but his indwelling power provides you with the strength to change. Stop making excuses. Ask him for help, and believe that he can give it.

3. In redeeming all things, God became wisdom.

God’s example and God’s empowerment are wonderful things, but they are not enough to satisfy us with wisdom. If God merely demonstrated and disbursed wisdom, it would be bad news for sinful people; God’s example would crush us, and his empowerment would condemn us. So he didn’t leave it there.

So in addition, he became wisdom for us. The eternal God entered the world as a man, Jesus Christ, and he did for us what we could not do for ourselves: find and keep wisdom. He showed us wisdom, he gave us wisdom, and best of all, he became our wisdom (1 Cor 1:30).

Jesus lived without a trace of foolishness and should have been rewarded with long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, and peace. However, consider what he got:

"At the cross I bow my knee" by Demi-Brooke (2009), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — Demi-Brooke (2009), Creative Commons

Instead of gaining long life, he died a premature death in our place.
Instead of keeping riches (a close relationship with God), he was abandoned on the cross by his heavenly Father.
Instead of receiving honor, he experienced great shame in the physical nakedness of his crucifixion and the spiritual darkness of his substitution when he became sin for us.
Instead of finding pleasantness (a straight path to God), he was cut off from fellowship with the one he loved most.
Instead of enjoying peace, he was attacked by God and men.

Yet in dying our death, he brought us life: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). After God accepted Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf, he raised Jesus up:

He came back from the dead, acquiring an indestructible life.
His relationship with God (true riches) was restored, and he took his seat at God’s right hand.
His shame gave way to unprecedented honor, for every knee will bow at his name.
The pleasantness (unhindered straightness) of his way to God was restored. And this restoration is not just for him, but also for all who love him.
As was foretold at his birth, he brought glory to God in heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.

In short, Jesus lived wisely, and we could not; so he took our place. Upon doing so, he suffered the consequences of our foolishness, so that we who are fools could reap the satisfying rewards of his wisdom. Such is wisdom: Accept God’s rescue.

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

Don’t Just Find Wisdom – Keep It!

September 5, 2025 By Peter Krol

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:

Life (Prov 3:22). Compare with “long life” on the first list.
Adornment (Prov 3:22). Compare with “honor.” Wisdom makes you influential, so others will honor you.
Security (Prov 3:23). Compare with “peace.” How could you be more secure than to have no (ultimately powerful) enemies?
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.
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?

Caught by our own love for being simple? Yes: See Prov 1:22.
Caught by others who will trample us on their way to self-fulfillment? Yes: See Prov 2:12-19.
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.
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.