CONDITIONS FOR BECOMING SPIRITUALLY WISE
PROVERBS 2:1-6
PROVERBS 2:1-6
2 My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
OBSERVATION:
Not everyone can become brain surgeon smart. But everyone, regardless of past experience or academic performance, can become spiritually wise.
However, spiritual wisdom is not an inherited trait. And though spiritual wisdom is extremely valuable, it does not just come to us. It is not a function of some got it, and some just don't. Desire and action play a large role.
In this second chapter of Proverbs, Solomon, who was considered the wisest of all time up until Jesus, lays out the conditions for obtaining spiritual wisdom.
Receive God's words and treasure His commandments. Receptivity is a big thing. Without receiving God's words, there will be no godly wisdom. And it's not simply receiving but valuing what is received.
Listen for wisdom and apply your heart for understanding. We might say today, to develop an ear for godly wisdom. And think about how to apply His wisdom to your life.
Desire or hunger plays a role in becoming spiritually wise. Crying out and lifting up your voice does not imply a passive approach.
Instead, we see a genuine hunger to obtain God's wisdom.
Seeking and searching. Solomon is emphasizing the mindset behind obtaining wisdom. He had asked God for an understanding heart in order to be a good king to God's people. But Solomon did not stop with God's promise to him to grant him wisdom. He pursued God's wisdom.
Solomon knew that the source of all wisdom was God. And Solomon had a heart to receive and utilizes God's wisdom for his life.
APPLICATION:
To become a spiritually wise person is totally obtainable for all of us. And thankfully, no one can stop us from receiving God's wisdom.
But we cannot be passive or too casual and still grow in God's wisdom and understanding. So, wherever you are in your walk with the Lord, purpose in your heart to take it up a step in your pursuit of God and His wisdom.
With God, there is always more. Fight back against complacency and receive and value God's word. Get hungry and get busier. Just a small step up in desire and effort can make a big difference.
PRAYER:
Lord, I am stirring myself up to pursue You and Your wisdom.