The Purpose of Proverbs

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. 3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young.

5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance 6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom

8 My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. 9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.

10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. 13 Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take. 14 Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.”

15 My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths. 16 They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder. 17 If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away. 18 But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. 19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.

Wisdom Shouts in the Streets

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. 21 She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: 22 “How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? 23 Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.

24 I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. 25 you ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. 26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you- 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you.”

28 When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. 29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. 30 They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. 31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. 32 For simpletons turn away from me-to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. 33 But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm. (NLT)

1 Kings 3:7-12 NIV Finds Solomon in prayer…

“Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”

insights

He reminds us that in every stage of our spiritual growth, there is potential to grow in wisdom, and that life is the journey, not the destination. It is a journey that brings us closer and closer to God, if we but choose that path over the path of foolishness.

There will be worldly temptations of all kinds, and they are a trap. Once caught we will be ruled by fear and hostility, which in itself is spiritual death. Such is the fate of the foolish.

Wisdom cries out to us to return to spiritual life. Wisdom desires we return to her and live. But many, in their foolishness, mock wisdom and promote the false reality that the ways of the world have more importance than the ways of the spirit, which naturally longs to be in the presence of God.

Wisdom reminds us that when we are far from God, the spirit is starved. The noise of the world will drown out the still small voice that calls us back to life, and the more we seek our solutions from the world, the more distressed we will become, the more futile our lives will seem.

So stop and be still, listen to wisdom calling you back. Seek wise council and turn away from foolish ways. God’s grace is abundant and wisdom is calling you back to His grace.

                                         lynnibug

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