Proverbs | Knowable Word

Wisdom in Disappointment

June 13, 2025 By Peter Krol

My dear mother gave birth to me to me only a few weeks after Christmas in the middle of the Carter administration. And I’m the type of person who really, really enjoys getting gifts. These two ingredients mixed themselves into a toxic brew of the most disappointing kind, because, for most of my childhood, friends and relatives would give me only one (1) present – to cover two holidays – sometime during the first week of January. They’d accompany the present with a pacifying sentiment like “I hope you enjoy this Christmas/birthday gift!” But Christmas had already come and gone without any word from such interested parties. The day of my birth likewise came and went without fanfare. From the beginning, my life was designed to disappoint.

"Gift" by asenat29 (2006), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — “Gift” by asenat29 (2006), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Disappointment saturates our fallen existence. Some disappointments are relatively minor, like having your birthday forgotten or discovering concert tickets are sold out. Other disappointments, like receiving a notification of divorce, suffering a debilitating accident, or losing a child, might plague us for decades. Whatever the situation, God the Father is always present, using our disappointment to draw us closer to him. The way of wisdom leads through disappointment and on toward the Lord.

How Disappointment Works

Before we dig into the text of Proverbs 3:1-12, we must understand how disappointment works.

We feel disappointed when our expectations are not met. Sometimes we lose what we expected to keep. Sometimes we miss what we expected to gain. At other times we experience something we expected to avoid. Expectations infiltrate our motivations, and they come with a price tag: our happiness. They dash our hopes. They convert healthy relationships into needy ones, and they make people bitter and irritable.

Maybe you expected to enjoy your job more than you do. Maybe you expected your parents to respect you as an adult. Maybe you thought church would be more exciting, or that marriage would solve your lust problem. Maybe you expected to be financially stable by now. Maybe you just hoped to get noticed every once in a while.

In short, you wanted something, but didn’t get it (or you liked something but lost it). You feel disappointed.

Two Ways to Handle Disappointment

When unmet expectations produce disappointment, we need a way to cope. Most people take their disappointment in one of two unhelpful directions: either in & down or out & around.

"Spiral Staircase" by Roberto Verzo (2010), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license — “Spiral Staircase” by Roberto Verzo (2010), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license

1) Those who take disappointment in & down tend to see themselves as the source of the problem. Perhaps, they reason, their expectations were too high. They mentally relive the situation and assume it won’t get any better. They might lower their expectations to avoid further disappointment, even to the point of losing hope. These people might believe God is disappointed with them for failing him. They feed the downward & inward spiral until they bottom out in full-fledged depression. They read passages like Proverbs 3:1-12, but refuse to get their hopes up. So they always go back to Job and focus there, because that’s how life really is.

For example, if your friends forget your birthday, and if you take your disappointment inward, you might begin to assume that nobody will ever remember your birthday. You don’t want to be a burden to people, so you say nothing about it. You lower your expectations to the point where you’re surprised and uncomfortable if your birthday comes up in conversation. You begin thinking of God as a distant authority figure. He’ll let you into heaven because he has to, but he’s pretty discouraged by what he ended up with when you became a Christian. As God and men continue to disregard you, you get even more discouraged, justifying your hopelessness. You’re trapped in a heartbreaking cycle.

2) Those who take disappointment out & around tend to blame others for causing the problem. They pity themselves and expect others to join the party. They might attack those whom they perceive to be the offenders, by complaining, scolding, or sucking the life out of them until they change. They’re difficult to work with because they always have a critical remark or a better idea. These people might believe God is against them and has failed them. They feed their disapproval until they gain a reputation for anger and aggression.

For example, in season one of Downton Abbey, Downton Village prepares for its annual flower show. The Grantham Cup is supposed to go to the “finest blooms” at the show, but the Dowager Countess of Grantham (played expertly by Dame Maggie Smith) has won the cup as long as can be remembered. The Countess’s flowers are clearly inferior to those of the aging commoner Mr. Molesley, but she has used her title and prestige to pressure the judges for so long that she’s certain to win again. She’s become so skilled at enforcing her expectation of victory that she doesn’t even realize when she’s doing it. Only when she chooses to deny herself and award the trophy to Mr. Molesley, does she handle her own expectations in a non-abusive manner.

We get trapped in these two spirals (in & down, out & around) all the time, and there’s no end in sight. But, God enters our disappointment to break the cycles. He helps us to look up & over our disappointment that we might see him, our loving father.

Jesus Enters Our Disappointment

We feel disappointed when our expectations are not met, and then we tend to blame either others or ourselves. But God came to earth to rescue us from slavery to disappointment.

"Cemetery Cross" by Joel Kramer (2011), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license — “Cemetery Cross” by Joel Kramer (2011), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license

He sent his Son, Jesus, to live among us and experience our disappointment. The night Jesus was betrayed, he expressed his great disappointment to his closest companions: “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…[Friends,] could you not watch with me one hour?” (Matt 26:38-40). On the cross, his disappointment climaxed: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46).

But Jesus’ disappointment didn’t turn him away from his Father. He didn’t blame himself for expecting too much from a dark, dark world. He didn’t bend the situation to his own will, coming down from the cross or calling platoons of angels to fight for him. No, rather than running away from God, Jesus let his disappointment bring him closer to God. His dying words were: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

As Hebrews puts it, Jesus was a son who “learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Heb 5:8-9). In other words, because Jesus drew close to God through his suffering and disappointment, he opened the way for you and me to do the same. He died to bring us salvation, and he lives to bring us close to the Father, despite our disappointment. But how?

Next week, we dive into Proverbs 3:1-12 which will help us along the way.

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

Wisdom Delivers for the Long Haul

June 6, 2025 By Peter Krol

We’ve seen how wisdom delivers from evil and adulterous people in Proverbs 2:12-19. Now we see what it delivers us for.

So you will walk in the way of the good
And keep to the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will inhabit the land,
And those with integrity will remain in it,
But the wicked will be cut off from the land,
And the treacherous will be rooted out of it (Prov 2:20-22).

Deliverance FOR endurance on the right path (20-22). When you become wise and keep seeking wisdom, you will persevere on the paths of the righteous (Prov 2:20). The Lord promises to preserve you to the last day, when he will judge the wicked and treacherous (Prov 2:22) but stabilize the upright in his kingdom forever (Prov 2:21).

"Holy Land - Pool of Bethesda, Jerulsalem" by Jenny King Mellon (2009), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — “Holy Land – Pool of Bethesda, Jerulsalem” by Jenny King Mellon (2009), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Solomon here describes those who “inhabit the land,” referring to God’s treaty with Abraham and his offspring to give them a good land (Gen 12:1, 7; 13:15-17, etc.). They wearied of living in tents and wanted to establish roots in a land of their own. About 500 years later, Joshua pioneered this promised frontier on behalf of Abraham’s descendants. Yet after another wait of more than 1000 years, Jesus the True Joshua (“Jesus” and “Joshua” are the same name in Greek and Hebrew respectively; like “Peter” and “Pedro” in English and Spanish) led those who would believe in him to find ultimate and lasting rest (Gal 3:16). We who trust in Jesus now find stability “in the land,” resting from our works as God did from his (Heb 4:8-11). In other words, we don’t need to do anything to make God happy; by living the life we ought to have lived and dying the death we deserved to die, Jesus already did it all for us.

This last point is critical, for our hope for becoming wise must not be in getting everything “just right.” We’re all guilty of failing to listen, doing crooked things, and entertaining ungodly sexuality. Our own brokenness condemns us, and the consequences of our choices gnaw at us. But it’s never too late to turn around. We’re never beyond the reach of God’s rich mercy in Christ. The only way to qualify is to realize we’re not qualified. This weakness will strengthen us in wisdom. We’ll quit depending on ourselves, and instead turn to the Lord of wisdom. As we trust in him, we’ll draw closer to him and become more like him. In short, that’s how we become wise.

The process for becoming wise is really quite straightforward. Get in the habit of listening to advice and seeking out help. Trust in the Lord and become more and more like him. Then you’ll become a different person who loves what God loves; you’ll make choices that take you away from evil and immorality and toward righteousness and stability.

Do you think it’s worth it to become wise?

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

Wisdom Delivers from Adulterous People

May 30, 2025 By Peter Krol

Last week we saw that wisdom delivers from evil people. Proverbs 2 moves on to yet another deliverance that occurs when we make different choices.

So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,
From the adulteress with her smooth words,
Who forsakes the companion of her youth
And forgets the covenant of her God;
For her house sinks down to death,
And her paths to the departed;
None who go to her come back,
Nor do they regain the paths of life (Prov 2:16-19).

Deliverance FROM adulterous people. An understanding person will choose not to engage in sexual activity with anyone but a spouse. This lifestyle means avoiding even flirtatious speech (Prov 2:16) and emotional intimacy or companionship (Prov 2:17). God designed erotic activity to build oneness in marriage. Pursuing a sexual relationship outside of marriage results in a type of death (Prov 2:18) that leaves a lasting stain in one’s history and memory (Prov 2:19). A failure to repent of such a lifestyle will ultimately lead to everlasting death in hell.

empty road leading through misty forest — Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV on Pexels.com

We must understand that Solomon’s warning is not limited to sexual intercourse with a married person (one overly-literal way to interpret “going to” an “adulteress”). All sexual activity is, well, sexual. Thus, all sexual activity and flirtatious speech with someone other than a spouse is included in Solomon’s warning. The discerning person will stay far from that path, delighting in God’s generous plan for marriage. Solomon gives much more detail on this theme in Proverbs 5 and 7.

Note that, as with the first category, the most dangerous and deceitful relationships can be with those who attend church or who claim to follow the Lord. Some people who would never consider something clearly immoral, like spending the night with a prostitute, will give themselves to various forms of sexual activity with another person who has a smattering of religious commitment. In his perceptive satire Evangellyfish (Moscow, ID: Canon, 2012), Douglas Wilson illustrates such a scene through the eyes of a fictional youth pastor:

Every month or so the stress of youth ministry—dealing with the kids and all their issues—would get to Johnny, and so he would head on over to Brandy’s apartment to have her give him a neck rub, followed by her specialty back rub. But somehow her giving him a back rub always turned into him giving her a front rub, and then they would fall again.

…Brandy gave him a few back rubs back [when she was a student in his youth group] that brought them perilously close to the edge, but honestly, there was no front rubbing until after she graduated… That meant that when they finally followed the manner of all the earth, they were not violating the professional standards of youth ministry, but rather simply the seventh item on an ancient list which was from the Old Testament anyway.

Here in Proverbs 2:16-19, the adulterous woman “forgets the covenant of her God” (Prov 2:17). In chapter 7, she’s someone who offers sacrifices at God’s temple (Prov 7:14), so we can see that in some sense she was indeed a member of the community of God’s people. Such people can be chief among those who offer temptations. We must constantly guard our hearts and set up boundaries for healthy relationships. The wise – whether male or female – will exercise discernment and turn from “the forbidden woman.”

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

Wisdom Delivers from Evil People

May 23, 2025 By Peter Krol

Wisdom delivers by enabling us to make different choices.

Delivering you from the way of evil,
From men of perverted speech,
Who forsake the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness,
Who rejoice in doing evil
And delight in the perverseness of evil,
Men whose paths are crooked,
And who are devious in their ways (Prov 2:12-15).

"Deception Pass" by gemteck1 (2008), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — “Deception Pass” by gemteck1 (2008), Creative Commons Attribution

Deliverance FROM evil people. A discerning, godly person will choose not to join evildoers in their evildoing. This lifestyle means rejecting hurtful speech (Prov 2:12), deceitful cover-ups (Prov 2:13), godless delights (Prov 2:14), and devious behavior (Prov 2:15). The wise person knows that the most dangerous of all potential influencers are those who claim to follow God, but who by their actions have forsaken his way (Prov 2:13).

I’ll give an example. We once hired a contractor to upgrade one of the mechanical systems in our house. About a week after the work was completed, we discovered that we should have gotten a permit from the local code office for this work. So I called the contractor to ask if he had gotten one and had just forgotten to communicate with us about it. Now he claimed to believe in God, but his response was something like: “Is the code office after you? Just tell them you had only a little bit of work done, and they’ll leave you alone.”

This course of action was unacceptable to me; I knew that a deceitful cover-up would dishonor God and come back to haunt me someday. I should have researched the local ordinances more carefully, and I had to deal with the consequences. So I contacted the code office and told them of my situation, offering to do whatever I needed to do to make it right. The assistant at the office told me to fill out an application and include a note saying that I wasn’t aware of the permit requirement before the work completion date. Once I did, the permit was issued, and I don’t think they even charged a penalty.

The point is: I had to make a different choice. Part of that choice involved not being influenced by an outwardly godly but inwardly deceptive approach to the situation. Those who have heard and received God’s wisdom are equipped to label “the way of evil” correctly so they can avoid it and its consequences.

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

Wisdom Delivers

May 16, 2025 By Peter Krol

"Imperial Bodyguard" by Jay Adan (2010), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — “Imperial Bodyguard” by Jay Adan (2010), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

When we become wise, we receive heavy-duty protection and deliverance, but it’s important to realize how this protection works.

Discretion will watch over you,
Understanding will guard you (Prov 2:11)

It is not as though we may continue in our foolish ways and then hope for a sudden miraculous rescue from their consequences: “Lord, I cheated on my taxes and now the IRS is after me. Deliver me from their persecution!” Wisdom’s threat in Prov 1:28 should have rid us of any such misconception.

In Prov 2:11 it’s clear that the promised deliverance is more mundane than it is miraculous. It goes like this. When we listen to wisdom, God gives us discretion. He changes our hearts so that we desire what he desires. Then, when we act according to God’s desires – employing our God-given discretion to the daily decisions we face – we make different choices that result in different consequences. Instead of racing headfirst toward suffering and pain, we act in a more life-giving way. We will choose not to do evil, harmful things and to do good, stable things.

Over the next two Proverbs posts, we’ll see what such discretion delivers us from. After that, we’ll see what such discretion delivers us for. If you can’t wait, just read the rest of Prov 2:11-22 to see for yourself.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

The Second Result of Listening to Wisdom

May 9, 2025 By Peter Krol

If we passively receive and actively seek wisdom, then two things will happen: We’ll start being wise, and we’ll keep becoming wiser. Last week, we examined the first result. This week, we’ll address the second one.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice
And equity, every good path;
For wisdom will come into your heart,
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul (Prov 2:9-10).

You’ll keep becoming wiser. Proverbs 2:9 states that “you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path.” Does that list – righteousness, justice, and equity – ring any bells? You may recall the same phrase from Prov 1:3 where Solomon listed his third purpose for the book of Proverbs: that we would not just know the right thing to do, but also do it.

Here in chapter 2, he promises that, if we listen to wisdom, we will understand every good path. In other words, we won’t only become wise; we’ll keep on living wisely. We begin the journey of wisdom (Prov 2:5) and continue walking along it every moment of every day in every little decision we make (Prov 2:9).

Why is this the case? Because “wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul” (Prov 2:10). You’ve survived a “hostile takeover.” Your heart is now filled with and mastered by wisdom, rather than by your own simplicity that leads to folly. Your desires have changed, becoming more like God’s own desires. You now find knowledge to be pleasant and not something to be despised. (See Prov 1:7.) You are now a different person, free to make different choices.

"Marathon Medalists" by Mostly Dans (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License — “Marathon Medalists” by Mostly Dans (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

The type of listening that produces such constant change is not something that can be completed after a few tries.

It’s a persevering discipline. As we live a life of wisdom, our need for listening grows more, not less. Remember how Solomon stopped listening and became a fool? Don’t follow his example! Keep receiving and keep seeking. Then you won’t be like the marathon runner who was disqualified because he hopped on a bus for part of the race. Be a finisher, not just a starter. The end of your life is far more important than its beginning (Ecc 7:8).

Application

When we listen to wisdom, we’ll keep becoming wiser. What does it look like for us to walk this path? Here are some ideas:

Ask God for wisdom every day. No, scratch that; make it every hour.
In every situation, ask yourself, “What can I learn here?”
Learn how to study the Bible. (Here’s some help. And more help.) Meet regularly with others to discuss it.
Ask other people how they think you could grow.
Read a chapter of Proverbs every day. That way, you’ll cover the whole book each month. I did this for years and developed a notebook of topics. I picked one topic each month, and every day I’d write down which verses addressed that topic. This notebook became a useful resource that I still use.

If wisdom has entered your heart, and the fear of the Lord characterizes you, then you will love instruction. In particular, you will love God’s instruction, which means you’ll draw steadily closer to him. Don’t let your life slip by without careful attention.

By the time he turned 21, American theologian Jonathan Edwards had written 70 personal commitments (he called them “resolutions”) for his walk with Christ. They included things like speaking words that build up, managing his time well, and being a trustworthy person. Most noteworthy is his commitment to consciously trust in Jesus, especially when he felt on top of the world. Item #53 states:

“Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.”

At the top, right before the first item on the list, he wrote this statement: “Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.” Here was a man who understood his natural tendency to drift from the path of wisdom and who set himself to give careful attention that he might not do so.

To summarize where we are in the argument of Prov 2:1-10: If you persevere at listening carefully to wisdom, you will grow to love wisdom. Your proud, selfish heart will melt, liberating you to make different choices every day. You’ll be heading in the right direction, growing closer to Jesus and becoming more like him.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

The First Result of Listening to Wisdom

May 2, 2025 By Peter Krol

“Education” by edenpictures (2009), shared under Creative Commons Attribution License

If we passively receive and actively seek wisdom, then two things will happen: We’ll start being wise, and we’ll keep becoming wiser. Solomon explains these two results and gives the rationale for each. This week, we’ll cover just the first one.

“Then you will understand the fear of the LORD
And find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice
And watching over the way of his saints.” (Prov 2:5-8)

You’ll start being wise. Verse 5 states that “you will understand the fear of the Lord.” This concept ought to be familiar from Prov 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Remember that the fear of the Lord is the very first step on the path of wisdom. Solomon now promises that listening to wisdom will result in the fear of the Lord. Therefore, if we listen to wisdom, we will begin the journey of wisdom.

Though this point may seem obvious, it nevertheless is crucial. Wisdom is not something that just happens as we live life. It doesn’t come automatically with status, education, experience, age, or leadership position. We must receive it and seek it in order to gain it. We must admit we don’t have it before we can possess it. We confess we can’t see it so we might somehow perceive it. When it is weak, it is strongest. It rises from lowliness.

Why is this the case? Because “the Lord gives wisdom” (Prov 2:6). It comes from his mouth and not our own (Prov 2:6). It dwells in his storehouse, and he loves to dole it out liberally (Prov 2:7). He is our shield; we can’t protect ourselves (Prov 2:7). He wants us to trust him for all things, including wisdom. Thus, to become wise we must grow closer to the giver of wisdom. That’s why I previously defined “the wise” as “those who are moving toward the Lord.”

Do you want to become wise? Draw near to the Lord and listen.

A Major Theme in Scripture

So listening to wisdom will make you wise. Duh.

Believe it or not, this idea is a major theme in the Bible. Adam and Eve woefully trusted themselves and not God for wisdom (Gen 3:6), and that choice initiated all our troubles. Ever since, God has graciously intervened, directing his people back to Himself (and away from themselves), as their confidence. For example, after Abram defeated the four most powerful kings of his day, the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great” (Gen 15:1).

When Jacob had to run for his life, God appeared to him in a dream and said, “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you” (Gen 28:15). It took Jacob a bit of time to get it, but eventually he did, as is clear from his declaration to his wives: “Your father does not regard me with favor as he did before, but the God of my father has been with me” (Gen 31:5).

Jesus targeted his own mission to those who knew they needed him and were willing to draw near to him. He built intimacy with and gave his wisdom to those who were spiritually:

“Scenes from Mgona” by khym54 (2007), shared under Creative Commons Attribution License

Sick: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).
Poor: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3).
Small: “He who is least among you all is the one who is great” (Luke 9:48).
Lost: “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

He came to humble the proud (Luke 1:51) and to blind those who see (John 9:39), so they might come to him (Matt 11:25-30). Those who thought they didn’t need him did nothing and ruined everything.

To summarize Solomon’s argument so far (Prov 2:1-8): If you listen to God’s wisdom, you will become wise because God wants you to depend on him for all things.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

How to Listen to Wisdom

April 25, 2025 By Peter Krol

Fimb (2009), Creative Commons Attribution

To become wise, you must learn to listen. Such listening has two parts.

¹My son, if you receive my words
And treasure up my commandments with you,
²Making your ear attentive to wisdom
And inclining your heart to understanding
³Yes, if you call out for insight
And raise your voice for understanding,
⁴If you seek it like silver
And search for it as for hidden treasures. (Prov 2:1-4)

Solomon begins the chapter with a big “IF.” Receiving, treasuring, attending, inclining, calling out, raising your voice, seeking, and searching all boil down to one weighty concept: listening. He already commanded us to “hear” in Prov 1:8. He regretted our refusal to “listen” in Prov 1:24. He’ll come back to the topic of listening again in Prov 3:1, 21; 4:1, 10, 20; 5:1; 7:24; 8:6, and Prov 8:32. Listening is no small theme in Proverbs 1-9.

What does it mean to listen to wisdom? He breaks it down into two pieces: passive receiving and active seeking.

Passive Reception

First, he commands us to listen passively (Prov 2:1-2): receive, treasure, attend, and incline. There are many times when we don’t ask for advice, but it comes anyway. It might come in a form we like: a powerful sermon, a gentle rebuke, or a kind reminder. It might come in a form we don’t like: an angry critic, a disconsolate child, or a disgruntled coworker. Whatever shape wisdom takes, the question remains the same: Will you receive it? We’re like desperately hungry babies, and the food is placed right in our mouths. Will we munch on it or spit it out?

In other words, we ought to pay attention to the Bible and delight in it. We must be receptive to what wise people say — or even to wise things foolish people say — and avoid shifting blame or making excuses. In reading God’s word or in having it explained to us, we should be broken and changed by it.

Are you approachable? How do you handle criticism? Are you willing to address weakness or failure? Do you have the courageous humility to focus more on how you need to grow than on how others need to grow? A mark of the wise Christian is the persistent and vigilant examination for logs in or around the eye (Matt 7:1-5).

Active Pursuit

Danard Vincente, Creative Commons Attribution

Second, Solomon commands us to listen actively (Prov 2:3-4): call, raise, seek, and search. Passive reception is not enough; Prov 2:3-4 instructs us to move on to active seeking. We must call out and raise our voices for understanding. We must seek wisdom as we would silver or a hidden treasure. If a woman lost her wedding ring, she would tear the house apart until she found it. She wouldn’t just wait passively for it to reappear on its own.

We can relate to this image, because we’re all treasure seekers. We arrange our lives to accommodate what’s most important to us. That’s why we bother to get married. That’s why we drag ourselves out of bed for 8:00 AM classes. That’s why we make peace with the long commute to the office. That’s why we stay up late for cinematic premieres. That’s why spend so long in front of the mirror before leaving the house each day. That’s why we go into debt. That’s why we’ll upheave our lives and relocate closer to our grandchildren.

If I fail to grow in wisdom, it’s not because I didn’t receive enough help. If I am not being fed spiritually, I am responsible to find food. If you are a teacher or a leader, you should not wait for people to give you suggestions for improvement; you should take initiative to ask for them. If you’re married, don’t wait for your spouse to bring up concerns; instead, regularly ask, “How do you think our marriage is going?” Consider asking someone to mentor you. If you want to understand the Bible better, plan time right in your schedule. If you don’t have a schedule, now would be a great time to make one.

To summarize: If you want to become wise, you must listen to wisdom. Listening involves both receiving it eagerly and seeking it passionately.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

How to Become Wise

April 18, 2025 By Peter Krol

A few Olympic cycles ago, I wrote about what the Olympics taught me about Bible study. The Olympics deliver drama spectacularly, but they fail at imparting instruction.

Who, by watching Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt run, would get any practical help with his own stride? Perhaps exposure to the Asian badminton teams could influence aspiring champions not to cheat. But how many gymnasts will improve their own dismounts from Team USA’s example? Or who, upon seeing footage of Michael Phelps’ races and interviews, would gain concrete ideas for faster flip-turns? Perhaps a few prodigies will learn well by merely watching and imitating the world’s greatest athletes, but most of us need more personal coaching, step-by-step instruction, and encouragement in the basics.

“Becoming a Wise Owl Takes a Lot of Concentration” by Ken Bosma (2008), shared under Creative Commons Attribution License

That’s why, in Proverbs 2, Solomon gets down on our level and shows us practical steps we can take to become wise. He’s already given the big picture in chapter 1; now he gives details on the process. Here we’ll find not just what we need to know, but what we need to do.

Proverbs 2 has a tight logic:

If you listen – 1-4

Then you’ll get started on the path of wisdom – 5

Why? Because God wants to make you wise – 6-8

Then you’ll continue to grow in wisdom – 9

Why? Because wisdom will change you – 10

Result: you’ll make different choices that protect you – 11

From violent men – 12-15

From adulterous women – 16-19

For endurance on the right path – 20-22

Over the next few Proverbs posts, I’ll boil the argument down into three chief sections: If you listen (Prov 2:1-4), you’ll become wise (Prov 2:5-10), resulting in different choices (Prov 2:11-22).

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

Will You Destroy Yourself or Listen?

March 28, 2025 By Peter Krol

You’ve got two choices: Destroy yourself or listen to Wisdom.

^”For the simple are killed by their turning away,
And the complacency of fools destroys them;
But whoever listens to me will dwell secure
And will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” (Prov 1:32-33)

The road forks before you. Either you’ll turn at Wisdom’s reproof (Prov 1:23) or you’ll turn away from it (Prov 1:32). The simple lean into that second turn. In other words, to do nothing is to make the wrong turn. Just do nothing, and you’ll ruin everything. Keep doing what you’re doing, and you may get exactly what you want. But you’ll be like a partially delirious farm hand who politely declines their water break. If you’re complacent about your walk with Christ, you will severely harm yourself (Prov 1:32).

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But if you listen to wisdom’s rebuke, consider what awaits you. Whoever listens to wisdom (Prov 1:33) will “dwell secure,” “be at ease”, and be “without dread of disaster.” It doesn’t mean that you get whatever you want, but that you always get what you most need.

One woman struggled with her husband’s failure to lead. He would delay decisions and hold his own opinions too highly. When she registered concern, he would ignore her perspective and stop listening to her. This young wife would resort to nagging and manipulation to get her way.

This woman was advised from Scripture to stop doing what she was doing and consider an alternate path. She could support her husband’s decisions even when she disagreed, as long as they didn’t involve sinning. She could pray that God would change her husband, and then she could trust that God was at work despite how she felt. She could get help from church leaders when he belittled or mistreated her.

It should come as no surprise that, when this woman chose the path of wisdom, her anxiety levels decreased, and she began asking her husband how she could better help him. As a result, he felt more respected and started listening to her opinions more. This couple found greater security and ease—and less fear—in their marriage. Their problems didn’t disappear, but dealing with their problems became increasingly simpler for them.

Christ our Wisdom

We must understand that wisdom is readily available, and we have only to listen. Wisdom already took initiative with us and came to us, not in a set of ideas, but in a person. Our duty is not to get everything just right and be perfect, but rather to set our hope in the one who got everything just right and was perfect for us. Jesus gave up everything and became nothing for us, so that we who deserve nothing might gain everything in Him.

Jesus our Wisdom offers us a choice between self-destruction and security:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Mat 7:24-27)

All we have to do is hear, and then do, what He says. The main thing he has said is that we can trust him. He has made himself available. Will you listen to him despite your love of being simple? Just do nothing, and you’ll ruin everything.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.