In All Your Getting . . . by Steven Harper “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”— (Proverbs 4:7 NKJV) Have you ever stopped to consider that most of our lives are spent getting something, or doing that which will allow us to get that something? We all work in order to get food, clothing, a place to live, a car, and anything else we might want or need. [We work to get.] When we get in the car, we drive so that we might get somewhere. We get in the next lane because we want to get off the interstate and get home. [We drive to get somewhere.] For the most part, we eat food in order to get healthy and strengthen ourselves. [We eat in order to get energy, though sometimes all we get is a bigger waistline!] In all of these things — and just about anything we do — we are getting. Like getting older! We are accumulating and amassing our personal possessions and experiences that come with everyday living. In all of this getting, shouldnt we think about what is the most important thing to get? What does God say about our getting? What should be the primary thing in our search and pursuit of things we might get? What one thing is preeminent in the list of things to get? Why not consider what the Bible says about this? Let us look again to the book of Proverbs to see what the wise writer says about getting. Then, let us check our inventory to see if we have added this to our possessions and, if not, let us get it! The thing we need is . . . understanding. But what is understanding? Understanding is defined as knowledge or wisdom. The implication is that we have an ability to rightly discern but, specifically, the ability to discern between good and evil. So, if we put it another way, the wise writer is speaking of the need to get wisdom — but not just any kind of wisdom. The wisdom we are encouraged to get is certainly not our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), so it must be something else. The apostle Paul said, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” (1 Corinthians 3:19), so any admonition to get understanding [wisdom] would eliminate the worlds wisdom. That only leaves one other option: the wisdom that comes from God. James describes this wisdom as “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:14-17) The ability to rightly discern between good and evil results in pure, peace-loving and peace-seeking people who are not set on having my way or no way, and who are not afraid to show mercy to the undeserving and demonstrate their wisdom by their deeds. They do not show any favor to men based on their background, personal wealth, skin color, or education. They also do not act godly on Sunday and worldly the other six days of the week. They are sincere and actual followers of God. But how does one acquire this wisdom? Well, it wont come from the world, as we have already determined, so we must turn elsewhere. And when we seek to “get understanding,” we cannot demand it as if we were deserving, for the wise writer said, “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2) The only way we will obtain the needed understanding is through humility! This goes against the way of the world where everyone is encouraged to go for all you can and not to worry about others you may step on and grind under your feet on their way to the top. But, again, this is worldly wisdom: that which is called foolishness with God. Humility leads us to fear [respect] God and only then will we be willing to actually listen to what He has to say (Proverbs 15:33). And therein is the secret to getting understanding: listening to rebuke (Proverbs 15:32). [This is why humility is required.] As hard as it may be to stop and listen to someone telling us what we have done wrong, it is necessary if we want to gain understanding. Have you ever known parents who seem to never rebuke their children? I know you have. Did you see those children once they were grown? What were they like? I dont have to tell you that a child left to his own, who is given everything he or she wants, and who never hears a rebuking word from his or her parents will expect others to give them anything he or she asks and will never gain the necessary wisdom needed to live in the real world. The rebuke we must heed is that which comes from Gods word, too. Since God knows all things, it would be wise to hear what He has to say about anything, but especially those things pertaining to our own lives. And God has said that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and in need of salvation. Only when we realize the Lord is the source of the much-needed understanding (Proverbs 2:6) will we humble ourselves and listen to what he has to say so we may become His children. When Paul instructed Timothy as to what he should be doing, he said, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2) Part of our responsibility, as hearers, is to heed those rebukes. Only when we are corrected could we say we are right in Gods sight, and that is the wisest thing we could ever do. (From Truth Factor-truthfactor)
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 05:03:17 +0000
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