I love definitions, which I find funny because in high school I had an English teacher, Mrs. Best, who made us do weekly word quizzes where we had a list of words we had to define. We weren’t allowed to repeat the definition we found in the book, and we weren’t allowed to use the word to define the word. So we couldn’t say something along the lines of: “Considering” means to consider the situation. Basically she gave us what I considered crazy, off the wall words we would never use, and she asked us to define them in our own words. Poor teenage me was miserable—which means to be in misery—during that 30 minutes every week. However, like many things in life, I now look back and see the value of learning that skill, and I am thankful for her pushing us to go further in how we understood words.
You are probably wondering why I went down memory lane, and what that has to do with the book of Proverbs. Well, here is the thing: we can be bombarded with everyone telling us how to define words, how to perceive our world, and how to interact with those around us, and we often just “go with the flow.” Yet, if we were forced to find definitions of our own, how would we define the book of Proverbs? How would we define wisdom? What would you write down if you were going to write an entire book for your children about how to live? Would you think about how your words would help your children know and receive the wisdom and instruction you are giving them?
When I look up the definition of wisdom on Google, this is the first thing that comes up: “the ability to make good judgments and sound decisions by using your knowledge, experience, and understanding.” Another online definition says, “Knowledge is having facts and information, while wisdom is knowing how and when to use those facts for the greatest good.” In our church world we might not like these definitions, but I don’t think they need to be completely thrown out; they simply do not give a full picture of wisdom.
In the opening words of Proverbs it isn’t just wisdom that Solomon writes about; he specifically points out that wisdom cannot be separated from instruction, understanding, humility, and action. Wisdom is not its own silo. It isn’t something we know but do not act on, it isn’t something that can be gained by the haughty, and it can’t be separated from the knowledge of the Lord.
In the weeks ahead we as a church community will study the book of Proverbs together to consider how we should live differently because our adoption and redemption have changed who we are. This does not ensure that we will always be wise in every situation, but our study of this book should help us grow in our ability to take instruction, our understanding of those around us and the situation we are in, the humility to accept that we need help from the Lord and others as we do not have all the answers, and the steps needed to take wise action regarding the life we have been given.
Please take a few minutes to read the following verses and pray that the Lord will show you both personally and as a church body where we can take up the humble work of seeking the Lord and His wisdom.
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction. –Proverbs 1:1-7
