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Wisdom and Humility

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James J Jenkins (2009), Creative Commons

James J Jenkins (2009), Creative Commons

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

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

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

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

C.S. Lewis wrote that humility doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself; it means thinking of yourself less.  In other words, both “I’m awesome” and “I’m a terrible person” are proud statements.  The humble person chooses simply not to focus on himself, positively or negatively.  The humble person puts others first, loving them at least as much as he loves himself.  Such a person models Jesus’ life-giving death.

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

Don’t Defend Yourself or Encourage Gossip

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ThemeliosThe Gospel Coalition recently published a new volume of its Themelios journal.  Within there lies a fantastic article by Eric Ortlund about “The Pastoral Implications of Wise and Foolish Speech in the Book of Proverbs.”

Now don’t get discouraged by the long title.  The article is great.  It quotes a little Hebrew, but always translates it for you.

Here’s his point:

I would like to argue that, in the book of Proverbs, one cannot argue with a fool without making things worse. The wise person instead trusts the Lord to intervene by silencing and stopping foolish speech and vindicating those who trust him.

And from his conclusion:

We must scour our hearts, with the help of the Spirit, for foolish tendencies in ourselves. For instance, if I have something negative to say about another Christian, have I said it to anyone else? While there are a few situations in which one might have to do this (if one is asked, for example, to recommend another Christian for a ministry position), it is extremely easy to point out the faults of other Christians to third parties. This is foolish because Jesus, our wisdom and our great high priest, is interceding for all Christians, speaking the best of them before the Father. Why would we speak any differently? To give another example: in a disagreement, do I spin things in my favor? Do I believe all things and hope all things for the other Christian (1 Cor 13:7)? Or do I assume the worst about them?

Ortlund expands on ideas I’ve written about the three kinds of people in Proverbs, and he beautifully applies the teaching of Proverbs to this difficult area of criticism, attacks, and gossip.

I highly recommend you check it out!

Find Your Satisfaction in Jesus

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court-gavel_0God’s example shows us the way of satisfaction.  His empowerment fuels our search for satisfaction.  But most importantly, his Son motivates our satisfaction and makes it possible, because he shows us that the Lord’s satisfaction is more important than our own.

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

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

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

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

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

Satisfaction is God’s Design Part 3: Redemption

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To find satisfaction, we must follow God’s example and receive his provision.  But that’s not enough.  Here’s a third reason for looking to the Lord for satisfaction

3.  In redeeming all things, God became wisdom.

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

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

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

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

Demi-Brooke (2009), Creative Commons

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

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

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

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

Satisfaction is God’s Design, Part 2: Provision

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To find satisfaction, we must follow God’s example.  But that’s not enough.  Here’s a second reason for looking to the Lord for satisfaction.

2.  In enthroning mankind, God provided wisdom.

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

Rob Pongsajapan (2005), Creative Commons

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

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

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

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

Satisfaction is God’s Design, Part 1: Creation

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

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

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

1. In creating the world, God demonstrated wisdom.

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

Mark H. Evans (2010), Creative Commons

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

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

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

Don’t Just Find Wisdom – Keep It!

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Solomon promises blessing not only to those who find wisdom, but also to those who keep it. hold on 01

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We should be like that when it comes to wisdom.

The Blessings of Finding Wisdom

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

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

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

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

Look at what awaits you if you find wisdom:

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

Why do we settle for less?

Finding Wisdom is Better than Anything

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wisdom in Satisfaction

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

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

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

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

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