Sunday, February 28, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 4:13-27, we learned about the importance of receiving instruction and living right. As Christians, we should eagerly receive the instruction of the godly people around us, plus we should also try to flee from all kinds of evil. In verses thirteen through seventeen, Solomon wrote that the young person should be open to instruction. Earlier in the chapter, he had described wisdom as a lady, and here, he was suggesting that instruction is like a lady to be cherished. Wisdom comes from the Hebrew word meaning skill in war, wisdom in administration, shrewdness, prudence in religious affairs, or wisdom in ethical and religious matters. Instruction comes from the Hebrew word that means discipline, chastening, or correction. From the combined meanings of these two words, the inference is that Solomon was equating the value of wisdom to the value of instruction, as though to say that wisdom is somehow derived by learning from our mistakes. No one likes to make mistakes, but many times, we can learn from the mistakes that we have made. When the Lord chastens us for things done wrong, we can often allow ourselves to learn and profit from the experience.
Solomon encouraged the young person to flee from evil and avoid evil people. According to him, walking away from bad situations is a sign of wisdom. Not only that, but since the Lord will help us do the right things when we learn to lean upon Him, we can even avoid evil and tempting circumstances altogether. James 4:7-8 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." In verses eighteen through twenty-two, Solomon contrasted good and evil by describing the path of the just as a shining light. In the Gospel of John, Jesus was described as light and later referred to Himself as the Light of the world. In John 8:12, the Apostle John wrote, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Jesus is the Light of the world. Those who reject Him are saying by their actions that they prefer walking in darkness rather than light. Solomon wrote that such people many times stumble and do not even know what has tripped them up. We can avoid this stumbling in darkness by learning to heed the words of the wise. Solomon wrote, "Attend to my words." Hence, as Christians, we can practice being good listeners, especially to those who have the power of God on their life. Then, we can apply what we have heard and order our lives accordingly. In wisdom, there is both life and good health.
In Proverbs 4:23-27, Solomon encouraged each of us to guard our heart carefully because out of the heart come the issues of life. We can try to avoid those who speak perversely. We can try to walk the straight and narrow pathway. We can strive to not turn to either the right or the left in our journeys through life but instead walk each day with our eyes upon Jesus. As you reflect on these truths during the coming weeks, try to focus on the Lord and then do your best to live right before Him and others.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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