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Wisdom is Available to Those Who Love What She Loves

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I’ve never been very good at the shell game. I’m usually more interested in a good performance than in getting the right answer, so I’m easily snookered by a decent sleight of hand. But wisdom doesn’t work that way. She doesn’t need misdirection or illusion. She tells it like it is, and those who love what she loves will get in good with her.

Proverbs 8 summarizes all Solomon has said about wisdom in Proverbs 1-7, by showing how nobodies become somebodies. The first stanza explains how wisdom is available to all people who choose truth over wickedness, righteousness over crookedness, and instruction over material gain.

1 Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
At the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates in front of the town,
At the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
And from my lips will come what is right,
7 For my mouth will utter truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
There is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,
And all that you may desire cannot compare with her.” (Prov 8:1-11, ESV)

We can break Solomon’s argument into six pieces

1. Wisdom is Available

Prov 8:1 presents the kind of question that is not really a question. It’s similar to the trial lawyer’s query, “Isn’t it true, that on the evening of June 8th, witnesses observed you arguing with my client in public?” The interrogator assumes the answer to be, “of course!” and doesn’t care what you actually have to say for yourself.

McKay Savage (2008), Creative Commons

McKay Savage (2008), Creative Commons

So, too, in this case. “Does not wisdom call?” is not a true question. “Does not understanding raise her voice?” is more of an accusation than an investigation. Of course! She’s on the heights, at the crossroads, beside the gates, and at the entrance (Prov 8:2-3). Wherever people are to be found, she is there. She is available for us to find, anytime, anywhere.

2. To All People

Wisdom cries out in Prov 8:4 to “the children of man.”  In Prov 8:5, she specifies simple ones and fools as the objects of her pleading.

According to Proverbs 1:1-6, there are three kinds of people. The wise person is moving toward the Lord. The foolish person is moving away from the Lord. The simple one stands at the crossroads, about to decide whether to head toward or away from the Lord. The Lord is always the reference point, and Proverbs defines people by their attitude toward him, which is why “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov 1:7).

Wisdom now begs all people to hear and receive her. Look, no ring! She’s available to any who have ears to hear.

3. Who Choose

Wisdom is a choice. Always. It does not fall upon some while missing others. Those who get her want her. Those who don’t get her wanted something else. Folly works the same way. Just as the adulterous woman aims to seduce (Prov 7:5, 21), wisdom tries to persuade.

There’s a choice between instruction and silver, between knowledge and gold (Prov 8:10). Since wisdom is better than jewels (Prov 8:11), it makes sense to choose one and not the other. All you desire cannot compare with wisdom (Prov 8:11).

4. Truth Over Wickedness

Wisdom speaks truth and despises wickedness (Prov 8:7). Those who love her for it become wise.

5. Righteousness Over Crookedness

All wisdom’s words are righteous and approved by God (Prov 8:6, 8). Therefore, those who love wisdom love what God loves and receive his favor.

Wisdom’s words have nothing crooked or perverted in them. You never have to second-guess them. You won’t have to figure out the meaning behind them. They won’t lead you in a hurtful direction, but keep you moving straight toward the Lord (Prov 8:9). Those who love and heed wisdom’s words become wise.

6. Instruction Over Material Gain

Morality usually doesn’t pay. Purity denies sexual urges. Self-discipline limits spending. Hard work goes unnoticed.

But in seeking wisdom—in knowing Jesus—we do not settle for the lesser pleasure (Prov 8:10-11). And wisdom is so infectious that we can say with John, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4).

Wisdom Turns Nobodies into Somebodies

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Susan BoyleIn April 2009, a frumpy, middle-aged, and socially awkward Scotswoman marched on the stage of the TV show Britain’s Got Talent. Susan Boyle flouted her spunky attitude and wish to be a professional singer, while judges and audience members alike snickered and visibly mocked her. But they gave her a chance.

You’ve got to watch the video to understand fully what happened that day. Simon Cowell—the world’s most cynical and scathing judge of performance talent—shows little mercy to this nervous woman, but his bewildered expression after her first few notes is priceless. Boyle’s performance gives new meaning to the song “I Dreamed a Dream.”

Boyle’s audition was the most viewed YouTube video in 2009. She went on to take second place in that season of Britain’s Got Talent, but it was enough to secure her a record deal with Sony Music.  Her first album sold more copies than any other début album in British history, and she has since gone on to record 4 more. Two Grammy nominations and 22 million pounds later, she’s performed in Windsor Castle and had a musical written about her. She’s become an icon of success, a contemporary rags-to-riches tale.

Wisdom is like that.

I don’t mean that wisdom will earn you millions of pounds or pageviews. Nor do I mean that wisdom grants your wishes to become famous or successful. I mean simply this: Wisdom turns nobodies into somebodies.

We’re drawing near the end of Proverbs 1-9. Over the next few weeks, I’ll work through chapter 8 in my Monday posts, and I’ll show how this chapter summarizes Solomon’s entire model of wisdom. Before we get to the closing vision of chapter 9—which launches the reader into the body of the book—Solomon will remind us of all that came before. Solomon assembles the pieces of wisdom’s instruction into a few long poems placed on Wisdom’s own lips.

You and I might be nobodies. But God in his grace wants to make us into somebodies. His favor and life are stored up, ready for immediate disbursement to those who love his Son, Jesus Christ. If you grasp Christ, your wisdom from God, your life will never be the same again.

Easy Sex Will Keep You from Being Wise

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A student newspaper at my alma mater once published a set of ABC’s for first-year students as something of “a 26-step instructional guide on how to get the most out of higher education.”

Jirka Matousek (2011), Creative Commons

Jirka Matousek (2011), Creative Commons

Along with A for Alcohol, E for Energy drinks, and Q for Questions, came the following:

H is for House Party Weekend. Three parts live music, four parts indiscriminate alcohol abuse, two parts non-prejudicial fornicating. Mix well; serve warm. That’s House Party Weekend.

S is for Sexually transmitted diseases. See letter H.

W is for Walk of shame. Alternatively known as the “stride of pride.” That long walk home wearing the same thing you went out in last night, which inevitably followed a very awkward introduction earlier that morning. When you see the steady stream at 10 a.m., just remember, “Let he who has not woken up spooning a stranger cast the first stone.”[1]

There’s a reason “higher education” and “wisdom” aren’t synonymous.

Lots of Sex

This week, I reinstate my long-running Bible study of Proverbs 1-9. As we hit Proverbs 6:20-35, we ought to notice that Solomon has said a lot about sex already, and he’s not yet done with the topic. Foolish and ungodly sexual activity was common long before universities developed such a strong reputation for it.

But what makes Proverbs 6:20-35 unique? What does Solomon say here that he hasn’t covered elsewhere? Though many ideas overlap, we can observe a primary focus for each of the “sex sections” of Proverbs 1-9:

  • Prov 2:16-19 explains how easy sex hinders wisdom.
  • Prov 5:1-23 unveils God’s surprisingly intoxicating alternative.
  • Prov 6:20-35 enumerates immorality’s terrible consequences.
  • Prov 7:1-27 unmasks immorality’s seductive tactics.

We must hear wisdom on these matters, so we can find life (Prov 6:23) and avoid death (Prov 5:23). In keeping you from being wise, easy sex holds nothing for you but pain and destruction. But there was one who endured pain and destruction to give us wisdom. So there’s always hope.

The Plan

Over the next few weeks, I’ll tackle this passage somewhat out of order. First, I’ll explain ten terrible consequences of easy sex (Prov 6:24-35). Then, I’ll go back to offer four steps for fighting it (Prov 6:20-23).

Question: How do you see easy sex hindering wisdom in our day?

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[1] Scott Gosnell, “The BU ABC’s,” The Counterweight, Volume 7, Issue 1, August 24, 2007, pp.8-9.

How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

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There is no foolproof formula for recognizing sowers of discord, but Solomon wants to train us to be discerning.

A worthless person, a wicked man,
Goes about with crooked speech,
Winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,
Points with his finger,
With perverted heart devises evil,
Continually sowing discord;
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
In a moment he will be broken beyond healing (Prov 6:12-15, ESV).

1. Take note of crooked speech (Prov 6:12b)

Do they twist words to win sympathy? Do they label their complaints as “concerns,” their anger as “frustration,” or their bitterness as “misunderstanding”? Have they failed to forgive? Do they always have questions but never any answers?

2. Consider body language (Prov 6:13a)

When around people who offend them, do they roll their eyes, grimace, or shake their heads? Do they make eye contact with you when the other person turns away? Does their posture communicate disrespect or defensiveness?

3. Refuse to join the gang (Prov 6:13b).

a2gemma (2007), Creative Commons

a2gemma (2007), Creative Commons

The Sower of Discord “points with his finger” in an effort to persuade others to join his team. He’s a sneaky communicator, and his destructive power lies in his ability to recruit. Whenever someone has a complaint against another person, your best response is, “did you talk to that person about it?”

Sowing discord is one of the most prevalent and most disregarded sins in the church today. We think of gossip as something that happens on daytime talk shows, and we ignore it in the fellowship hall. We think slander deserves discipline only if it’s intentionally and overtly deceitful. Perhaps we’ll confront those who purposefully spread bad reports about others, but Proverbs is just as concerned to confront those who endorse those reports by giving them a hearing (Prov 26:20-28).

This passage convicts me thoroughly. I am as guilty as anyone of speaking ill, sowing discord, and fighting unity. I have shared details I didn’t need to share. I have discussed the failings of my supervisors with my subordinates. I have asked for the low down on specific people, and I have entertained conversations that went in the wrong direction. I have asked Jesus to change me, and I wrestle my self-importance daily.

If you are broken by this text, there is much hope for your repentance and healing. You can act as glue to reunite the shards of your once-vibrant community. You can unleash Christ’s redemptive glory in your church, and he can restore his body to full and proper functioning. Learn to recognize the characteristics of the Sower of Discord, and exterminate them from your heart and your church.

But if you find yourself still making excuses for sowing discord (or for aiding and abetting others to sow discord), you’ll be ruined before you know what hits you (Prov 6:15). God doesn’t like it when people mess with his wife.

Question: What else helps you to recognize sowers of discord?

The Illusion of Freedom

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The first section of Proverbs 5 (Prov 5:1-6) highlighted the deceptiveness of appearances. Not all is as it seems, and sexual immorality covers itself under the illusion of freedom. In this closing section, we see that deviation from God’s standards—what the culture calls “sexual freedom”—is not really free.

For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
And he ponders all his paths.
The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
And he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
He dies for lack of discipline,
And because of his great folly he is led astray (Prov 5:21-23, ESV).

Jesus Solana (2012), Creative Commons

Jesus Solana (2012), Creative Commons

Pursuing immorality is like snapping the handcuffs, donning the straitjacket, locking the cage, or triggering the land mine. You thought to hunt a foxy partner, but the real hunters will “cry ‘havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war.”[1] You are the prey, fit only to become a fur scarf or set of mounted antlers.

Notice first that God sees everything (Prov 5:21). Nothing we do is really in secret, though we reason with ourselves that it is so. To be free from the prying eyes of men is still to be under the fiery, knowing gaze of the Almighty. The First Catechism, a children’s version of Christian theology, summarizes:

Can you see God?
No. I cannot see God, but he always sees me.
Does God know all things?
Yes. Nothing can be hidden from God.[2]

Do these lines inspire you with hope or terrify you with despair, when you consider your sexual life of the past week or month?

Notice second that sin is ensnaring (Prov 5:22). We think that a little sin will produce a little happiness; otherwise, we wouldn’t do it! We must realize instead that every time we sin, we take up the yoke and subjugate ourselves to a harsh master. We choose slavery, not freedom. We more closely resemble unwelcome critters, to be caught and disposed of, than carefree gazelles, frolicking through glade and meadow.

Notice finally that, for the wicked, freedom is elusive (Prov 5:23). The sinner would rather die than become disciplined. The immoral person is full of “great folly” that leads him astray. He missed his turn and will never reach his destination. Life and freedom elude him; they’re always just out of reach.

Those final words (“led astray”) are significant because, in the Hebrew text, they represent the same vocabulary as was used in Prov 5:19 and Prov 5:20. Solomon commanded his reader to be “intoxicated” by the love of his spouse, and not by the forbidden woman. “Intoxicated” could also have been translated as “swerving astray” or “reeling” to show the repetition. The translators of the NET Bible[3] explain it this way in a note: “If the young man is not captivated by his wife but is captivated with a stranger in sinful acts, then his own iniquities will captivate him, and he will be led to ruin.”

The message is clear: sexual “freedom” is an illusion. Fools set their own traps and surprise themselves by springing them. The simple claim insufficient knowledge or education, and their traps are no less painful. Even those who ought to be wise struggle in the chains of self-love, self-focus, self-pity, and self-centered fear or insecurity.

Is there hope we’ll ever find the way of life and enjoy God’s delightful wisdom?

Appearances are truly deceptive. How could the son of a carpenter be, as the Nicene Creed states, “very God of very God?” How could one born in obscurity and killed in infamy provide God’s righteousness to any who want it?

Immorality has real consequences, and the pure and righteous one suffered so we immoral ones might be washed clean.

Marriage has phenomenal delights, and the Great Bridegroom chose to die and not demand his rights as Husband. In so doing, he didn’t coerce his Bride, but won her allegiance for the long haul.

Sexual freedom is truly an illusion. Jesus submitted to the cross and the grave so we could be free of both forever; he proved it by his glorious resurrection. Now we get to image him to the world. Find your freedom in self-denial. Obtain life through your death. Secure satisfaction by serving and satisfying others, especially your spouse.

The wise person sees the culture’s illusions, blasts them with Bible dynamite, and wins others to radically selfless, Christ-like joy, far more exciting than either religious prudishness or enslaving immorality.

[1] Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, III.1.273.

[2] Suwanee, GA: Great Commission Publications, Inc., 2003, Questions 11 & 12.

[3] Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C, 1996-2005.

Wise People Crave Wisdom

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Knowable Word LogoSharper Iron posted an article by Ed Vasicek on the wisdom of Solomon. Vasicek rightly says that “wise people crave more and more wisdom, for wisdom is given to those who value it.”

He shows how Solomon asked God for wisdom in 1 Kings 3 because he felt inadequate to lead God’s people. Wise people always feel inadequate, and so fear the Lord, desiring his instruction.

Vasicek highlights a few things I didn’t cover in my introduction to Proverbs, so I recommend you check it out!

HT: Jake Swink

3 Myths Exposed About Solomon’s Wisdom

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Knowable Word LogoWe often ask God for wisdom with the expectation that he’ll teleport it directly to our minds.  If we ask, he’ll give, and he’ll give it quickly and fully.

But, as we’ve seen in our series on Proverbs, that’s not at all how wisdom works.

Till He Comes just published a guest post I wrote as a companion piece to my Proverbs study.  In this post, I debunk 3 common myths about Solomon’s wisdom.  One of the myths is that God supernaturally zapped wisdom into Solomon’s brain.  Nope.  Nada.  Not true.

I’m not going to tell you the other two myths here.  You’ll have to go check it out.

How’d You Do That? (5/16/12)

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In Wednesday’s post, I continued listing some counterfeits to wisdom present in our day.  All I tried to do here was apply the introductory material by dealing with some issues that may hopefully hit closer to home for some of us.

How many times have you heard (or said) the following?

  • “You’ll understand when you’re older.”
  • “Once you get a few gray hairs (or some more experience under your belt), then you’ll earn more respect or influence.”
  • “Why should I do what you’re saying?”  “Because I’m your father!”

One way to apply Bible passages is to consider what we ought to believe.  I’ve heard this called the “Head” realm of application (as distinct from the “Hands” or “Heart” realms, which refer more to skills or character).  In this case, we ought to believe the right thing (and not the wrong thing) about how to become wise.  Let’s not fall for the subtle but unbiblical assumptions that exist all around us.

One more thought: in this post, I considered some common misconceptions about how one becomes wise.  I tried to reflect what was good before identifying what I thought was bad.

Even if we disagree with someone or some idea, we should always first aim to find what is good, true, and beautiful about it.  After we build agreement there, we can move toward addressing areas of disagreement.  I think Paul had this approach in mind when he wrote Philippians 4:8, which is in the context of helping two women deal with a conflict in Philippians 4:2.  I encourage you to study Philippians 4:2-9 and follow the steps listed there the next time you are in a conflict with another person and want either the peace of God or the God of peace to be with you.