Got Wisdom?
Proverbs 1:1-7
We are starting a series today on the book of Proverbs. I have one recommendation for how to get the most out of this series. Billy Graham has read 1 chapter from proverbs every night for countless years. I strongly recommend you do the same. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. If you read a chapter a night, you’ll read through the entire book in a month (don’t beat yourself up if you miss a few nights). I strongly recommend this practice, and have begun it myself.
To get to the book, Proverbs is, chiefly, a book about Wisdom. The question has to be asked, “What is wisdom?” Most people agree about what wisdom is. There is a sense that wisdom is something more than simple intelligence, book smarts, or general knowledge. Rather, wisdom is more akin to street smarts. It has to do with skillfully navigating all the complexities of life. While most people agree on what the definition of wisdom is, we disagree widely as to what the content of wisdom is.
As you can expect, the book of proverbs seeks to answer that question along with some others. Here in the introduction, the author/compiler of proverbs lays out his program for what he believes wisdom is. In these first seven verses, we have several facets of wisdom:
First, wisdom is ‘knowledge’.
Second, wisdom is insight based upon that knowledge (to be able to apply it to life).
Third, wisdom is proper action based on that insight.
Let’s deal with the first.
Proverbs 1:2 states that the purpose of this book, (and it’s sayings) is so that the reader can “Know wisdom and insight.” Now, someone might say, “I know what you’re talking about, you’re talking about book smarts. And, cause you are a pastor, and you only work a half a day a week, you have plenty of time to read books and get smarter.” Well, first, trying to become smarter might be a hopeless endeavor for me. Second, book smarts is not what I’m talking about here. When Proverbs talks about “knowledge,” it has something very specific in mind. This word here in the Hebrew “to know” is used elsewhere in the Bible. Can you guess where? Try Genesis 4:1
[Cain and Abel] (more…)
Renewed Minds 