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The Second Result of Listening to Wisdom

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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.

Image-Jonathan_Edwards

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

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“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

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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.

Will You Destroy Yourself or Listen?

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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).

fluid pouring in pint glass
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

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.

Listen to Instruction

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Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
And forsake not your mother’s teaching (Prov 1:8, ESV).

Having set our hope in the right person, we are now called to do the right thing in response. In verse 8, we have the first instance of one of the most repeated commands in Proverbs 1-9: the command to hear or listen. Solomon made every effort to give us a written record of his instruction, and he calls us to hear it over and over again. Will we do it? Will we listen? Will the instruction sink down deep and become a part of us? Will it make any difference in how we live our lives?

This question is important enough for him to repeat the command incessantly. Hear my instruction (Pr 1:8a). Don’t forsake your mother’s teaching (Pr 1:8b). Make your ear attentive to wisdom (Pr 2:2a). Incline your heart to understanding (Pr 2:2b). Be attentive, that you may gain insight (Pr 4:1). Hear and accept my words (Pr 4:10). Be attentive to my wisdom (Pr 5:1). And so on.

deer behind grass
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

Notice, too, that the word “instruction” in 1:8 connects back to Proverbs 1:2, where the first purpose of Solomon’s proverbs was to help us know wisdom and instruction. The “instruction” that he refers to is not his own personal advice, but rather the instruction of God, revealed through his Word, of which Solomon is now a representative. Solomon is not asking his audience to hear and obey every personal whim of his simply because he’s the older, more experienced one among them. He is pointing them to a greater set of instructions: those that came right from the Lord and can be applied to every detail of our lives. This conclusion flows from Prov 1:7 where fools despise the Lord’s instruction, but those who are wise fear the Lord (and thus hear his instruction).

How does this apply to us? If God has put us in positions of spiritual authority over others (as parents, elders, pastors, teachers, etc.), then we should be simultaneously confident and humble in our leadership. We can be utterly confident as representatives of the God of the universe (Josh 1:5, 2 Cor 5:20). Yet we’re also humble, knowing that our instruction does not always match God’s teaching perfectly; there’s room for us to grow, even as leaders. In other words, we must never ask for unqualified obedience on the merit of nothing more than the leadership position God gave to us. For example, “You better obey me, because I’m your father!” We must always aim to be representatives of a greater authority (the Lord himself). And, only in so far as our advice is in line with God’s revealed wisdom, ought we to expect those under us to hear and obey.

A good friend of mine modeled well such confident and humble leadership when he asked his six-year old son for suggestions on how he could be a better father. The boy’s first response was, “You’re a great Dad; I don’t think you could be better.” But later in the day, after some difficult interactions between the father and another sibling, the boy came back and said, “Dad, one way you could be a better Dad is to not get angry when we make mistakes or disobey.” My point here is not that parents should do whatever their children want them to do, but that, in a context of confident and humble authority delegated by God, a leader need not be insecure about wise feedback, even from those he leads.

Jesus himself told us that Solomon’s wise advice was not the ultimate instruction for us to heed. Solomon was a picture of the Savior to come, the man who was God and who spoke only God’s own words. In answer to those who wanted Jesus to prove himself to them, he said, “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” (Matt 12:42). Jesus, as God’s ultimate representative (Heb 1:1-4),repeatedly reminded people, “Truly, truly, I say to you….” As God in flesh, Jesus had no need to speak tentatively. In fact, one title for Jesus is the Word (John 1:1; Rev 19:13). Our objective in studying Proverbs is not just to listen to Solomon but, far more importantly, to make sure we are listening to Jesus.

Our default is to listen to anything but the Lord Jesus. Our own hearts whisper sweet promises of joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction in anything other than the righteousness of Jesus. The world gives apparent credibility to these promises, offering us more stuff, more pleasure, and whatever else will promise happiness. The devil prowls about seeking to destroy us, exploiting opportunities to showcase these lies and to hide from us the reality of their vicious consequences.

Thus Solomon comes back to it again and again: “Hear…listen…pay attention.” The second step on the path of wisdom is really the same as the first. We just have to keep taking it over and over again.

This post was first published in 2012.

Big Audio Bible Sale

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The website Christianaudio.com is in the middle of their twice-yearly sale, where a large number of books are available for $7.49, no membership required. They have included many audio Bibles in this sale, with the result that these Bibles are for sale at a steep discount. (My favorite audio Bible, the ESV Hear the Word Audio Bible, normally sells for $28.98.)

If you’re interested in listening to the Bible, and you’d like the flexibility of taking the audio with you (as opposed to simply streaming it), this is a great opportunity. At this time of year, you might consider an audio Bible gift for a friend or family member.

Check it out!

The Best Ways to Listen to the Bible

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farmer

anonymous (2012), public domain

God has given us amazing access to his word. In the west, we have thousands of options to buy a printed Bible for a reasonable sum. If you prefer to read the Bible electronically, there are dozens of free avenues on your phone, tablet, or computer.

And we have not exhausted God’s generosity! We have many audio versions of the Bible available. Today I’ll point out three of the best ways I’ve found to listen to the Bible.

Why Listen to the Bible?

Having a personal, physical copy of the Bible is a recent phenomenon. The printing press (15th century) brought books to the masses, and before this Christians had to listen to the Scriptures as they were read aloud. For the original audience of the Bible, listening was their only access to God’s word.

Listening to the Bible is a wonderful convenience. It’s a great way to use your time while exercising, commuting, doing the dishes, or folding the laundry. You might even consider an audio Bible to help your preschoolers have devotions.

Listen for Free

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or computer, free audio Bible options abound. I will highlight the best two services I have used; feel free to suggest others in the comments! (I use Android devices, and the web-based versions of these services are great as well. I suggest looking into the Apple versions too, though I cannot vouch for them personally.)

  • The Bible App (YouVersion) — This is probably the most popular Bible application available. It offers 49 English translations of the Bible for reading, and 12 of these have an audio version. I’m partial to the ESV and NASB, but you could also listen to the NIV, the NLT, or the Message (among others). The Bible App offers reading plans and the ability to make notes and highlights in the text. This app has a strong social component, so it is easy to share what you’re reading and learning with friends.
  • Bible Gateway — This is my go-to Bible application. It also offers many (40) written English translations of the Bible along with nine audio versions. I like the parallel Bible feature, where you can compare two translations of the same passage side by side. There are other study tools available within this app, like Bible dictionaries and commentaries.

Both of these applications are free. Both suggest you make an account, but all the functionality I’ve described is available without signing up.

One Low-Cost Way to Listen

Free audio Bibles are great. The price is right, and you can change translations with the flick of a finger. But when I listen to the Bible, I’m usually looking elsewhere.

Does it sound crazy to pay for something which I could get for free? Hear me out. The Bible apps mentioned above rely on streaming technology, which requires a continuous internet connection. I’m not always connected to the internet, so having the digital files themselves means I’m never without my audio Bible. Also, I’m not dependent on the audio streaming technology when I want to listen. (I had a problem with The Bible App’s audio last year.)

Finally, if you own the files, you can adjust the playback speed. This is a common trick for fans of audiobooks, but most music players on phones and tablets allow you to speed up any track. On the other hand, if you’re enterprising and good with technology, you can remove silence and speed up the audio yourself using free audio editing software like Audacity. Without much trouble, I’ve been able to cut the run time of my audio Bible from 75 hours down to around 54 hours.

I use the ESV Hear the Word audio Bible, read by David Cochran Heath. You can find it for $28.98 at christianaudio.com (non-member price) and for $29.99 at christianbook.com.

I’m sure there are many other worthy audio Bibles you could purchase. If you’re shopping, be sure to check two details. You probably want to avoid dramatized audio Bibles, and you definitely want to avoid any Bible that is abridged.

Happy listening!

One Danger of Quiet Times

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Unlocking the Bible has a stimulating reflection on “The Not-So-Quiet Quiet Time,” where Colin Smith warns we should spend more time listening to God than listening to our own hearts.

It has become common among Christians to think that listening to God means being quiet and listening to our own hearts. But here’s the problem with that:

God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8).

If you believe that you listen to God by listening to your own heart, then what have you done? You have put your own heart in the place of God. If you make an idol of your heart, that will inevitably lead to a life of following the impulses of your own heart.

And who knows where that will lead you?

It’s worth considering: During your “quiet time,” whose voice do tend to listen to?

The rest of Smith’s article is worth reading. Check it out!

3 Disciplines to Develop Wise Speech

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You’ve tasted and seen the effects of a wise leader’s words, and you want to be that kind of leader. You want to speak words that deliver, delight, gladden, and heal. You’d like to be able to defuse, persuade, inspire, and influence. You can picture leading such Bible studies, but you don’t know how to move in that direction. You see the potential, but you don’t know how to realize it.

You’re not alone, and you don’t have to feel stuck. Proverbs describes not only the product but also which best practices will help you get there. The following 3 tips don’t include everything that could be said about how to become a wise leader. But if you give yourself to these 3 disciplines, you’ll quickly find, by God’s grace, you have something to offer. “The lips of the righteous feed many” (Prov 10:21).

Steven Shorrock (2011), Creative Commons

Steven Shorrock (2011), Creative Commons

1. Listen more than you speak.

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. (Prov 18:13)

When leading Bible studies, your goals should be, first, to hear others, and second, to give an answer. Reverse the order, and you’re on the way toward shameful folly.

What does this mean? What does it look like to hear before giving an answer?

  • You care more about winning people than about being right.
  • You want to know what other people think more than you want them to know what you think (even when you’re the leader).
  • You learn how to ask good observation, interpretation, and application questions that stimulate discussion and don’t shut it down.
  • You create a group culture where crazy, even false, ideas can be freely spoken. Please note: This doesn’t mean you create a culture where crazy, even false, ideas are accepted. Loving people doesn’t mean compromising the truth. And loving the truth doesn’t require you to feel threatened by questions or objections.
  • You ask open-ended questions.
  • You avoid questions that have only one answer. Such questions are not really questions but mind-reading exercises.
  • You pay attention to what people say.
  • You reflect what you hear people say, rephrasing their comments in your own words. This reflection demonstrates that you understood the substance and didn’t merely catch the words.
  • You don’t answer every question yourself but toss questions back out to the group.

2. Draw others out.

The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. (Prov 20:5)

Listening is good. It’s an important first step. But if that’s all you do, you’ve got a support group or love fest on your hands instead of a Bible study. People are like wells, and your goal is to drop the bucket and scoop out their purposes. You want to help them understand themselves better than they did before. Once they do, change becomes possible.

Let me illustrate. One person leads a Bible study on Romans 3:9-20 and teaches the material well. He observes the text well and gets people looking up all the Old Testament quotes. He shows how these passages about Israel’s enemies are used by Paul to describe Israel herself. Even Jewish mouths are thus stopped, and the whole world is held accountable to God. The leader communicates a clear doctrine of human depravity, and he challenges people to trust in Christ and not themselves. They listen eagerly, happy to learn and grow.

Another person leads a study on the same passage, but does so through thoughtful questions, careful listening, and stimulating follow-up questions. He covers the same content as the other leader, and he gets people talking about the topic of depravity on their own. One person mentions an obnoxious family member, and the leader asks her how that relationship has colored her view of the world. Another person challenges the doctrine of depravity, and the leader—who doesn’t jump on the objector with immediate correction—asks more questions to understand why it’s so hard to swallow. Another participant confesses feelings of guilt whenever the topic of sin arises, and the leader sensitively coaxes further context-appropriate detail from him.

When you actually understand why people think what they think, you’re in the best position to convince them to think something else. When you understand why people respond the way they do, you’ll be able to connect the dots for them so they can repent and choose different responses in the future. If you don’t scoop out the purposes in their hearts, you’ll end up with a group that agrees with what you’ve taught, but doesn’t understand how to make specific changes to their lives. The result? Very little change in their lives.

3. Sweeten your speech.

The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. (Prov 16:21)

If you listen and draw others out, the time will come for you to speak. And you don’t have to say much, because your words will weigh far more from all your listening and investigation. But it’s a good time to remember the age-old adage that has inspired many a fledgling leader: “You’ve done well so far, but don’t screw it up.”

When the time comes for you to speak, it’s not a good time to criticize people who aren’t in the room. “I can’t believe how wrong all those Arminians [Calvinists, Baptists, Presbyterians, whatever] are…”

It’s also never a good time to scold a participant, belittle one in error, or ignite a quarrel.

Instead, you have an opportunity to woo, persuade, and build trust. You get there by sweetening your speech. Give them reason to trust you and lower their defenses. During a Bible study:

  • “Other translations say…” is better than “You should get a more literal translation.”
  • “I can see what you’re saying, but have you considered…?” is better than “I disagree.”
  • “That’s a good question for another time. For now, what does the passage say?” is better than “Please don’t go off-topic.”

This is not mealy-mouthed refusal to engage in public discourse. This is not political spin. This is sweet, persuasive, winsome ministry.

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3 Game-Changing Facts about God’s Wisdom

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Every once in a while you see a truly game-changing scenario. Like when your team was trailing by 6 runs, but the bottom of the 9th saw a 3-run homer followed by a re-loading of the bases. And now your best slugger stands at the plate, and you’ve got a fighting chance.

Proverbs 8:32-36 speaks of one of those situations. Solomon is almost through with his 9-chapter manifesto on God’s wisdom. He’s built the foundations, and he’s about to invite you into the feast: the detailed wisdom in the rest of the book. But first he’s got a few more pitches to throw. (Sorry to keep mixing metaphors, but it’s not much different from what Solomon does!) Will you stand or fall? Walk or strike out? Get a hit and stay alive, or get caught looking to retire the side?

N. Kodama (2009), Creative Commons

N. Kodama (2009), Creative Commons

If you’re still not sure what to do with this thing called wisdom, Solomon issues a command, a promise, and a motivation.

And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the LORD,
but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death. (Prov 8:32-36, ESV)

The Command

“Listen to me…Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.” This has been the most repeated command in these opening 8 chapters of Proverbs. Listening is:

  • the responsibility of the wise (Prov 1:5)
  • the prelude to discernment (Prov 1:8)
  • the failure of fools (Prov 1:24)
  • the pathway to God (Prov 2:1-5)
  • the discipline of the favored (Prov 3:1-4)
  • the urgent appeal of a father (Prov 4:1-2)
  • the perception of light and life (Prov 4:10-11)
  • the prerequisite for personal change (Prov 4:20-21)
  • the protection of purity (Prov 5:1-2)
  • the defense against destruction (Prov 5:7)
  • a young man’s preservation from death (Prov 7:24-27)
  • the conversion of fools (Prov 8:5-6)

And now, O sons, don’t neglect to hear instruction (Prov 8:32-33). You’ll be wise if you but listen. And if you don’t hear, you’re not a victim but a perpetrator of your own downfall.

The Promise

“Blessed are those who keep my ways…Blessed is the one who listens to me…” (Prov 8:32, 34). Repeatedly, Solomon has commanded wisdom’s reception, not out of a sense of disinterested duty but on account of a Godward self-interest. Gaining wisdom is hard work, but it’s worth it because your life will be better with it than without it. The one who listens and keeps the commands is “blessed.”

As Paul reasons elsewhere, “No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church” (Eph 5:29). So, he says, take that innate self-passion of yours and direct it to your wife. Jesus reasons similarly in his summary of the law: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:37-40). He does not command us to love ourselves; he assumes we already do. And he expects us to love others with the same degree of fervency.

So with Solomon. Do you want what’s best for yourself? Really? If so, you’ll value what God thinks best over what you think best, since God’s best is better than your best. Hear the one you fear, be willing to change everything, and be blessed.

The Motivation

On the one hand, there is wisdom, life, and the Lord’s favor (Prov 8:35). On the other hand, there is self-injury and necrophilia (Prov 8:36). Your choice. Do such things motivate you to listen up? When you get this, nothing will stay the same.

The command, promise, and motivation: These are game-changing facts about God’s wisdom. “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:8).