Day 3- Wisdom
So I mentioned to Eriek (Hubby) that
I read Proverbs 3 and the part about seeking wisdom
and understanding really struck me. He said I should
go back and read chapters 1 and 2 because they build
up to chapter 3. So back to chapter one I went.
I read all of chapter one, but was really
dwelling on verses 1-7 just trying to let it sink
in. Like a lot of times when I read the Bible, I read
it like a book: once over, check the box, got it,
move on. But I realize when I read the Bible this
way, I may “get it” but I don’t
fully know it. Sometimes I found out, that I didn’t
even really get it at all the first time.
So dwelling on that first section, which
my study Bible titles “The Beginning of Knowledge,”
I was a little confused because there were a whole
lot of words that at first glance seem to have similar
meanings like
“to know” and “to perceive”
“wisdom” and “understanding”
and “knowledge”
“instruction” and “learning”
Come to find out the word “wisdom” in
verse 2 means something a little different from “wisdom”
in verse 3. So I’m glad I dwelled on it a while,
read my notes, and then dwelled on it some more.
To even explain what I learned in my
own words, I need to start with verse 7, “The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but
fools despise wisdom and instruction.” I thought
it was really harsh at first, but really it’s
just the logic that sets up the whole idea of wisdom
and knowledge. People get really confused when they
hear “the fear of the Lord” or you need
to fear the Lord or something like that. But basically
it just means respect, honor, submission, obedience.
Just like when you’re a child you “fear”
your parents. Not (I hope) in a terrified kind of
way, but because they set the rules. When you love
and respect them and want to honor them you submit
to those rules, which were set in the first place
because they love you and want to protect you. So
putting that idea back into verse 7, it sounds more
like “Respecting the Lord and submission to
Him are the beginning of knowledge…” The
second half of that verse about fools despising wisdom
and instruction, just makes sense now. If someone
despises wisdom and instruction, it’s because
they don’t care for God who gives wisdom and
instruction.
The reason I went to verse 7 first is
because I think it lays the ground work for verses
2-6. Knowing now that fearing the Lord (respecting
and submitting to Him) is the beginning of knowledge,
I understand how the rest works. The verses take you
through the process of wisdom- first to know what
the instructions are, then to really understand and
comprehend those instructions, and finally to go out
and apply them to our daily lives. God gives us life
experiences to help us really comprehend and understand
the instructions (found in the Bible) so that we’ll
better be able to apply them to our life. But if you
don’t first respect and submit to God and His
Word, not only will we not learn what He intends for
us to learn from our experiences, but without understanding
it’s easy to become bitter about those experiences
and then to despise the instruction and experience
and eventually to despise God who gives it to us.
Abba Father (Daddy),
Thank You for providing an instruction Book for us.
I know I tend to try and put things together without
consulting the Manual, but thank You for opening my
eyes and showing me how much I need to learn and how
much easier life is when I read the Directions. Thank
You Lord, for being a Father that is perfect and full
of love and will never leave us or forsake us. I know
here on earth, we all mess up and hurt each other
from time to time, but thank You for providing a perfect
love that will never fail or end. Thank You for showing
us the power of forgiveness through Your Son, Jesus.
It still blows me away Lord that You have offered
me forgiveness although I haven’t earned it
and I certainly don’t deserve it, yet You give
it freely for all of us willing to accept it. By Your
grace, that is wisdom I know and comprehend and have
applied. Lord let me live that kind of love out to
those around me, a love that reflects Your love for
us. That is wisdom to be treasured and shared.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
