Sunday, December 27, 1998 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 2:1-9, we learned about the importance of finding true wisdom and understanding. In Proverbs 2:1-5, Solomon wrote that a person chooses to gain wisdom and understanding. He said that we, by our own choice, receive his words and hide his commandments in our heart. In addition, he wrote that we, also by our own choice, decide to incline our ear towards wisdom. The Hebrew word for incline means to listen attentively. When someone inclines their ear towards wisdom, they will show prudence in administrative and religious affairs, and they will be both ethical and spiritually religious in the conducting of their life. The wise person will strive to live right and even rejoice to do so. The wise person will not be envious of the wicked person who seems to gain all and have all in this world. Solomon wrote, in Proverbs 23:17, "Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long."
Solomon also wrote that we choose whether or not to apply our heart to understanding. Of our own free will, we can cry out to the Lord and ask for knowledge and understanding, and when we do so, He will honor the desires of our heart. Wisdom is a gift of God. Ephesians 1:15-17, "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." We are nothing and can do nothing without Him. We rejoice to know Him and to be rightly related to Him. Wisdom has great value. Solomon compared it to silver and great hidden treasures. The ultimate goal, therefore, should be for us to understand the fear of the Lord and to increase our knowledge of Him. Philippians 3:8 says, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."
Wisdom is a gift from God. He gives knowledge and understanding, He gives wisdom to the righteous, He holds up those who walk uprightly, and He preserves the way of His saints. To those who turn to Him, the result is that they shall understand righteousness, judgment, and equity. Righteousness means what is right, just, or normal. Judgment means the act of deciding a case. Equity means evenness, uprightness, and straightness. In the end, when God is our God, we shall eventually know every good path. In this coming week, do your best to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you closer to Him. After you have, you will not be sorry that you did.
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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