"For Gaining Wisdom"
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Series on Proverbs; Proverbs 1:7

Introduction: “The Dash Video”

What matters most is what we do with the life we have been given. And yet, God can help us make even more of it. Today we start a series in the book of Proverbs. The design is for us to gain wisdom to live a life that counts.

I. Learning About Wisdom- (Proverbs 1:1-2, 9:9, 22:6; Isaiah 46:9)

a. Ways we learn- God has given us the ability to learn. We are not

born with all that we need to know. In fact, the opposite is true. We are born knowing very little. That is why it is so important to teach a child the important things of life. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” And Proverbs 9:9 says: “Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.”

So as we come to the book of Proverbs, we are told that this book, these Proverbs, are worthy to learn; the Proverbs of Solomon are for “learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding of insight.”

But let us seek to understand for a moment how we learn. There are several ways: One kind of learning is Trial and Error learning. This is where we try something, and if we get it right, we remember it for the next time. And if we get it wrong, we try it a different way until we find the right way. It has been said that the definition of insanity is: “trying something over and over and expecting different results.” Our mind has the ability to learn from our mistakes.

A second way that we learn is by insight. Now insight is the “power or act of seeing into a situation or into oneself.” As we encounter problems, there are times when we can look into that situation, and begin to instinctively see a way to solve the problem. It doesn’t require a trial and error period. We are simply able to “see” the solution. A third way that we learn is by classroom situations. Now this tends to be the way we think learning happens the best, because we have banked our whole education system on “classroom learning.” Of course we are familiar with this kind of learning since we have all been through it. The classroom becomes then an environment created for the purpose of learning. In this type of learning, it is believed that we learn in small increments, and so each day we come to add a little more learning to what we already know.

b. Learning and memory- Of course, without our memory, our

learning we be futile. Without our memory we would have to learn the same things over and over again. And in fact, those who have suffered damage to their brain by a stroke or some other kind of event, in fact do have to learn many things over again. In the movie “REGARDING HENRY,” Harrison Ford plays a man named Henry. Henry is a lawyer who survives a shooting only to find he cannot remember anything. He has to learn everything over again, including who his wife and daughter are, and also his speech and mobility.

And so our memory plays an important role in not only the learning process, but in our ability to move forward in our lives. Our memory is what allows us to remember how to walk, and how to talk, and how to carry out all the basic functions of life. But our memory also allows us to move to the farthest point of our knowledge, so that we can continue our learning from there.

For example, the Rubik’s Cube. Explain what it is…. I was actually taught how to do the Rubik’s cube by a junior higher. I had figured out several of the steps, but the farther along you get into solving the cube, the more complicated the moves get. If you don’t do the right moves, you will undue what you have already done. And so each day he would teach me another move. My memory allowed me to start at the point of what I had learned last, and then move forward from there until I learned to solve the cube.

And so this memory helps us in our faith and living out our faith for God. In Isaiah 46:9, we are told, “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” It is because we remember our past, that we can remember who God is, and what God has done for us. There is the good of the past that God has done for us, and there is the bad of the past that we have done, and God has forgiven us.

II. Gaining Wisdom- (Proverbs 1:3; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Jeremiah 22:13)

But we have to understand that there is a difference between knowledge and

wisdom. Knowledge is the information we have accumulated into our brains. We have knowledge from our a,b,c’s, to the knowledge of how to cook a meal, to the knowledge of how to drive a car. But there is a good amount of knowledge that we possess that we don’t necessarily use.

Wisdom is knowing how to take this knowledge we have, and put it to use.

a. Wise Dealings- So King Solomon, in Proverbs 1:3, tells us that the

instruction we gain, is for wise dealings and for righteousness and justice.

SHOW MOVIE CLIP FROM “BRUCE ALMIGHTY.” (In this movie, Bruce [played by Jim Carrey] is given the powers of God by God Himself [played by Morgan Freeman]; At one point in the movie, Bruce starts hearing these voices in his head, and realizes that they are prayers from people. He is so overwhelmed by all of the prayer requests, that he decides to answer yes to all of the people’s prayers. Answering yes ends up not being a good thing to do, but rather creates a great amount of problems. The scene we are going to see is Bruce talking to God about this).

God has wisdom that we need, to know how to live our lives, and how to respond to life when we don’t get everything we want.

b. Righteousness and justice- But God also gives us wisdom to know

how to be righteous and how to show justice. Living in a right way, living righteously, isn’t always so easy. Going back to the movie “Bruce Almighty,” there is a deleted scene on the DVD which shows the outcome of some of Bruce’s answered prayers. One situation was a woman who was broke. She was praying that God would help her in her situation. Bruce’s answer was to have her slip and fall on some spilled milk at the market, and a lawyer was present to see the accident and sue the market on her behalf. She ended up having a lot of money, but was miserable in her life. God’s answer would have been for her to have to go to her estranged sister to ask for money, which would have restored their relationship, and given her a greater appreciation for money and life.

We think we know the answers to our life, but only God knows, and we must seek God for answers. This is true when it comes to showing justice as well. All too often, we are content in life as long as trouble doesn’t come to us. But the problem is, that there is trouble in this world because of injustice. The Bible speaks often about how God despises injustice, and how as His people we are to fight against injustice.

Injustice is violating the rights of another; the absence of justice; or

the act of doing wrong to another. 2 Chronicles 19:7 tells us, “Now let the fear of the LORD be on you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery." In Jeremiah 22:13 we read, "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his subjects work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.”

Injustice happens when people are unfairly paid, unfairly treated, or when partiality is shown. Injustice happens when one person is thought to be more important than another, or when someone is unfairly imprisoned. Injustice happens when education isn’t available to all, or when someone is not given the same chance as another. God does not like to see injustice, and calls to His people to see that injustice is spoken out against, and not accepted.

III. Fear of the Lord- (Proverbs 1:7)

a. Proper Understanding- But really, wisdom for life all starts with

“the fear of the Lord.” This is clear in our passage this morning, as we read in Proverbs 1:7- “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Now the “fear” that is referred to here is having “reverence” for God. Reverence is showing respect for someone who is in a higher position than you are./ As we understand God’s place over this world, and as we understand God’s place in our lives, then we should show God reverence.

Until we have this proper understanding of who God is and who we are, then we will not be able to live for God, because we will not understand what God desires of us, and we will not be able to live in that way. Until we have this holy reverence for God, the ways of God will seem foolish to us; “fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Both of my kids, Tyler and Tiffany, at about age 7, when they were in first grade, both went through a time when they thought they knew it all. It is amazing to me that a seven-year-old can think this, but they did.

In the same way, we go through periods when we think we know it all; at least when it comes to our own lives. We think we know how to best make decisions. And even in those times when our decisions don’t turn out good, we think we can still make the best decisions for ourselves.

b. Brother Lawrence- Most of you know that I have a blog on the

internet, where twice a week I write to provoke thoughtful discussion. I am currently doing a blog series on a book that profoundly affected my life, starting when I was 15. The book is “The Practice of the Presence of God,” by a monk named Brother Lawrence. This last Monday I wrote this:

It is wonderful to see someone like Brother Lawrence remind us of what is important in life. We tend to take life and ourselves too seriously, and make ourselves the center point. But Brother Lawrence states that it is important to our faith to understand the exalted position of God; God is far above us. Because of this all that we do should be for the love of God. As we live in this way, we open the door to receive God's blessings upon our lives. The goal for Brother Lawrence was to think of nothing but God. As he became more and more accustomed to this, when there would be times when he wasn't thinking about God, it would cause him to feel unhappy. In this way he could begin to have his unconscious control his conscious mind. Whenever he would bring himself back to God, the evil thoughts of his mind would vanish right away. In terms of dealing with the difficulties of life, Brother Lawrence knew that the Lord would provide the strength he needed to endure it. In this way he wasn't afraid of anything. Brother Lawrence knew to depend upon the grace of God, which made his life easier. Brother Lawrence wanted us to understand that it doesn't take skill or knowledge to go to God. "All that is necessary is a heart that is dedicated entirely and solely to Him out of love for Him above all others." How wonderful it is to know that we don't have to hold a certain position, or degree, or level of understanding to give ourselves to God and receive the presence of God into our lives.

We don’t have to hold a certain position, or degree, to receive the wisdom of God either. To receive the wisdom of God, we just have to understand that there is greater wisdom out there than we have, and that wisdom comes from God. In respecting who God is, and seeking God’s wisdom, He will freely give it to us.

Conclusion: No matter how much, or how little of education you have received in your life, you still need the wisdom of God. And no matter how long or how short you have been a Christian, you will always need God’s wisdom. As we are told in Isaiah 55:8-9- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I challenge you to leave here today committing yourself to revering God, and seeking the wisdom of God. I pray that you would allow the wisdom of God to penetrate your thinking, so that it would affecting the way you live. Let us be thankful for the wisdom of God, and how it is available to us. Praise be to God. Amen.