"A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel…" Proverbs 1:5 The Book of Proverbs is like a spiritual Fort Knox overflowing with a wealth of God’s wisdom. But as with any vault or repository, a person has to cross the threshold of the front door in order to access its riches. Proverbs 1:5 reveals the proverbial “front door” of Proverbs to us…the willingness to listen and learn. In other words, you have to start with a teachable temperament and a humble heart in order to access this wealth of wisdom. Think it through. When a person proudly thinks they have it all together, when they believe they have every answer to every issue in life, they won’t be motivated to listen to what the Proverbs say, much less learn from them. With an unteachable attitude like that, the wealth of wisdom —which lies well within their reach—won’t profit them one iota. But “a man of understanding,” a person who understands he doesn’t understand everything, a person who knows she doesn’t know all there is to know…they’re the ones who are going to recognize their need for God’s wisdom. They’re the ones who are going to lyisten to what it has to say. And as they do, they’re going to learn and become wise. If our lives aren’t filled with God’s wisdom, it’s not His fault. It’s probably because we lack an awareness of our need for it and aren’t seeking it in humility. But the Book of Proverbs lies wide open to us. In it we find a wealth of wisdom, correct counsel, and godly guidance that enables us to live the life that’s best for us. And it can be ours, as long as we’re willing to listen and learn.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 13:43:10 +0000