THREE PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S WISDOM
Proverbs 1:5, 7, 33 NKJV
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.”
I enjoy reading the Proverbs. The insights and practicality of this book continue to amaze me. We must never forget that God’s word is alive, powerful, and applicable to our lives today. Here are three important principles regarding God’s wisdom.
The first principle is that we can gain wisdom from hearing. There is wisdom that comes from experience, but experiential wisdom can be hard. Many of us can point to lessons that we learned the hard way. The lessons may have been very valuable to us, but they came at a cost. Verse five says that a wise person will hear and increase learning. A person who understands God’s wisdom can hear it and receive it without having to experience it. For example, a wise person will hear about death and life being in the power of the tongue and gain wisdom. This person does not have to experience the heartache of what speaking toxic, destructive words can do.
The second principle is that the fear or reverence for God is where true knowledge begins. I realize that in our day of internet access and AI interface, many believe that true knowledge begins online. There is knowledge available online, but timeless, spiritual knowledge begins by acknowledging the existence, power, and involvement of Almighty God, the Creator of the universe. The knowledge of man without God has limited wisdom. And this verse seven says the fools despise or think lightly of wisdom and instruction. The wisdom and instruction referenced is, of course, godly wisdom and instruction. This is another reason we should place an extremely high value on the Scriptures. If there is any wisdom, we do not want to think lightly of, its God’s Word. And there is no true reverence of God where there is a take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards the Scriptures. It’s similar to saying you have a great deal of respect for a person but no regard for what they say. There is a connection between a person and their words. We cannot separate God and His Word, the Scriptures.
The third principle is that listening and honoring God’s wisdom produces good things in our lives. Verse thirty-three says that the person who listens to godly wisdom will live safely and be secure without fear of evil. The CSB version says they “will live securely and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.” If you read the entire chapter, you see wisdom talking, and she is not mincing words. The tough words are for the people who choose to reject godly wisdom and walk a different way. Solomon, the author of Proverbs, understood the high value of God’s wisdom. Writing by inspiration, Solomon is clear that rejecting wisdom costs, and adhering to wisdom pays big. How many people desire to live securely and without the dread of what’s coming next? That peace is available to those who reverence God, listen to His wisdom and walk in His ways.
PRAYER
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your words of wisdom that apply to my life. I purpose to listen and not have to learn the hard way. Thank You for the promise that I can live securely without a dread of what’s next.