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“ Do not forsake wisdom, and
she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.” Proverbs 4:6
Scholars refer to the book of
Proverbs along with other books in the Bible as “wisdom literature”
written by King Solomon. The passage begins with Solomon instructing
children to “Listen, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain
understanding” v.1, and continues in verse 4 to say “Take hold of my words
with all your heart;” and in verse 5 “Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.”
A common theme in all these verses is that true wisdom comes
from above and is attained by diligently studying the word of God. Wisdom
can be passed on from generation to generation, or earned from education,
but the Bible says that in order to have eternal life, we must take hold of
the word of God. Taking hold of the word of God is more than merely
reading a chapter before bed. It embodies a disciplined lifestyle where we
study the word, memorize it, and use it in our life as our guide for each
day. As Paul says in Hebrews, “For the word of God is living, and active,
and sharper than any two-edged sword”. If we truly believe that the word is
living and applicable in our lives today, we would use it as an
instructions manual for every decision that we make.
Solomon continues in verse 6 to say “Do not forsake wisdom,
and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.” Wisdom
here is personified as a women perhaps because in Hebrew wisdom is a
feminine noun, or because Solomon wanted to personify the word to show its
benefits. Just like all the commands in the Bible, seeking wisdom comes
with a reward. It protects us from falling into a path of sin that
eventually leads to death. In chapter 8:21 Solomon says that loving wisdom
leads to prosperity, whereas hating wisdom means loving death (8:36).
However, seeking wisdom comes with a price. Verse 7 reads “ Wisdom is
supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get
understanding.” How can seeking wisdom cost us everything we have? It could
be standing up for what is right can cost you your job, following
God's plans can cost you your family, living out the word and spreading it
can cost you your friends. However, even if the cost is so high, Solomon
ranks wisdom as “supreme” in comparison to things of this world. Being one
of the wealthiest man of his time, and trying to find pleasure in this
world Solomon repeatedly mentions that “everything is meaningless,
like chasing after the wind” Ecclesiastes 1:14. So let us deliberately
pursue after wisdom in the word of God, above gaining wisdom of this world.
PRAYER
Father God help us to seek you,
and to spend time in learning your word. You promise us in your word that
if we seek you with all our heart, we will find you. Just like Solomon,
bestow us with your wisdom from above. Help us, to not only read your word,
but to understand what you intended. Amen
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom" Psalm 111:10
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