Embrace Wisdom

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the book of Proverbs is to help you improve your life in a natural and easy manner by following the simple yet powerful programme of personal development drawn up for the benefit of his subjects by King Solomon of ancient Israel, the wisest person who ever lived.

All that is now known about the principles personal development and success was already known and taught by Solomon almost three thousand years ago, and recorded by him for posterity in the sacred collection of Proverbs that now form the focus of this workshop in wise living. The principles of wisdom do not change or vary with the culture of the reader. They are eternal.

Solomon’s Dream

According to the accounts found in the Bible, God appeared to the newly-crowned Solomon in a dream and offered him his heart’s desire. Unlike the fabled King Midas, however, who, according to legend, foolishly asked that all he touched be turned to gold, the young Solomon asked not for fame or fortune but for wisdom to rule his people well. Pleased with this request, God replied: I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be (1 Kings 3:12).

From that moment Solomon began an inspired study of the principles of wisdom, collecting the writings of sages from all over the world, distilling their essence into his book of Proverbs.

Goads and Nails

The Hebrew word translated proverb more nearly means parable or parallel – a cleverly constructed metaphorical statement in which both the young and the old, the simple and those already wise, can discover useful principles to apply to their lives.

The law of cause and effect shapes our lives, and there are things to do, and things to avoid doing that make a difference, acts of omission and commission. Accordingly, Solomon seems to suggest that there are two kinds of proverbs -- Goads, which are designed to prick our thick skin of complacency and so stir us into positive, productive action, and Nails, solid and reliable values or truths that help us avoid making ruinous mistakes.

Life-changing Wisdom

In a perverse, backward sort of way, we are all already wise. Unfortunately, our human weaknesses negate and frustrate that wisdom. An interesting parallel would be that of good seed being sown in a garden. Although the seeds contains all the potential needed to produce excellence plants, the poor gardener can frustrate that potential in many ways – by not tilling the soil properly, by depriving the seedlings of water and nutrients, and by allowing weeds and pests to attack the plot and choke off the growth. Likewise in our lives, the success that should be readily available is, all too often, self-sabotaged by negative emotions, such as greed, lust, selfishness, anger, malice, envy, anxiety, fear, impatience, carelessness, pride, laziness, inertia, and ignorance that lock millions of into mediocrity, poverty and ill-health.

Through inspired writings of Solomon, however, the foolish can actually become wise -- more effective, capable and productive than they ever thought possible. Slowly but surely, day by day, moment by moment, thought by thought, decision by decision, action by action, they can turn their lives around and grow in a natural and easy manner, and begin to develop the potential for success they already possess.

Real Success

Contemporary inspirational writer Stephen Covey points out that there is no quick and easy way to achieve personal effectiveness and the quality of life we all seek. Success and satisfaction, he says, do not come from the mechanical application of gimmicky techniques for influencing and manipulating other people, but by an inside-out process that begins by changing ourselves -- by identifying and breaking away from the old and unsuccessful habits and attitudes, as well as erroneous assumptions and beliefs that have misled us for so long in our exploration of life, like a faulty map or compass. Solomon would concur.

Covey also stresses that worthwhile achievement requires a deepening understanding of how the world really works, and the development of the Character Ethic – the realization that there are fundamental laws that govern life and human relationships, principles such as fairness, integrity, human dignity, service, diligence, excellence, patience, and encouragement. Those same fundamentals are in fact the focus of the Solomon’s divinely inspired writings.

The Path to Eternal Success

As we study Solomon’s words, it will becomes increasingly apparent that way of life he was inspired to describe is the very same God-centered way that Jesus and his apostles taught and demonstrated a thousand years later.

This close parallel is shown by the frequent New Testament references to Solomon’s inspired words -- there are in fact at least 14 direct quotations and some 20 plus allusions. The epistle of James, the brother of Jesus, in particular puts a special stress on wisdom.

Perhaps Jesus himself was also alluding to this parallel when he said to the Jews: The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here (Luke 11:31).

A Handbook of Godly Living

A thousand years before Christ, the Jewish rabbis accepted that Solomon in his writings had been inspired by God to interpret the Law and translate it into detailed prescriptions for daily living. Similarly, Jesus said that he had not come to do away with the Law of God but to fulfill it, to explain, amplify and teach its true intent -- which is that of love for God and love for neighbor. No wonder then that the principles Jesus taught are also stressed in the book of Proverbs. Although, as the apostle Paul says, all scripture is inspired and valuable for instruction in righteousness, Proverbs is in fact unique in the whole Bible, as a handbook solely devoted to detailed instruction in daily Godly living.

In Proverbs we find no nationalism, no rituals, no sectarian divides, but simply the Way of wisdom, faith, prayer and love that Jesus later taught his disciples to follow -- the way of life that constitutes the worship of God in spirit and truth.

Part One -- THE PROMISE OF WISDOM

The Wisdom Workshop has two parts. Part One covers the first nine chapters of the book of Proverbs which constitute an invitation to wisdom, possibly written for Solomon by his father David. In addition to warnings about the fundamental mistakes that ruin the lives of many people, this introductory section also describe the benefits of wisdom, and holds out very important promises of daily divine guidance to those willing to respond to that invitation. The actual proverbs themselves do not begin until Chapter 10.

In Part One, for the sake of clarity, sequential Bible verses dealing with a common topic have been grouped into longer numbered paragraphs.

Chapter 1 -- THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

1.1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

This first line is simply the title of the book, as found in the ancient manuscripts which had no separate enlarged titles.

1.2 To learn Wisdom and Self-mastery, and attain Enlightenment.

To acquire the Discipline for success -- doing what is right, appropriate and fair.

To endow the simple with Shrewdness, and the young with Knowledge and Foresight.

Let the wise listen and gain more wisdom.

Let the discerning get guidance in understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings of the wise and their dark sayings.

Solomon begins with two brief mission statements --To become wise, and To achieve self-mastery -- in other words to be able to identify the best course of action is in any situation, and have the self-discipline and diligence to follow it. Aristotle taught that men would do what is right if only they understood the logical consequences of their actions and the implications of the choices before them -- which may explain why Solomon suggests that wisdom and self-mastery go hand in hand.

The attainment of these two goals results in the achievement of the open, positive and insightful state of mind described as Enlightenment. The Enlightened person is equipped for success -- de-programmed, so to speak, from the constraints of culture and custom, upbringing and education, and able to truly think clearly and objectively for himself or herself – in order to analyze and evaluate and so choose the most appropriate course of action in any situation.

Finally, Solomon stresses that the proverbs are differentiated – equally adaptable to the needs of both the young and foolish as well as those older and wiser and more discerning. Wisdom is a journey, not a destination, and even those already accounted wise can move further along the path and become wiser still.

1.3 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The fear of the Lord is the very beginning of all knowledge, says Solomon, the starting point, the first priority in all education, a reliable foundation on which to build. To fear God does not mean to tremble in terror at his name, but to respect his laws and fear to break them – not because he might get angry and punish us in some way if we do, but because they embody principles that guide us in the right direction, safely away from harm, like a reliable compass, or a paved highway through the jungle.

The Ten Commandments, for example, are the bedrock of civilized society. The nation or family that condones lying, stealing, adultery and disrespect for parents, for example, is building on sand and heading for trouble.

The fool, however, actually despises both wisdom and self- discipline. Nobody is going to tell him what to do or where or why he is going wrong. He has nothing to learn and no desire to learn.

The constant theme of Proverbs, however, is the fact that human beings can learn and change -- once they decide to do so. That is their God-ordained choice. The foolish can become wise, the lazy can become diligent, the abrasive can become personable. Those who are timid, fearful and weak can change -- once they begin to recognize and restructure false beliefs, and interrupt habitual patterns of limiting behavior that have been allowed to govern their lives up to this moment.

1.4 My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto your head, and chains about your neck

Father and Mother head up the traditional family which is the fundamental unit of society, entrusted by God with the responsibility of teaching and training children in the principles of successful living. A child has an inquiring, receptive mind and learns constantly -- but do we as adults still have that desire, or have we stagnated? Are we still open-minded and teachable?

If you are a parent, how well do you teach and influence your own children? Will they be well-spoken, confident, capable and wise? Are you laying a secure foundation of emotional stability and self- discipline, stimulating their intellect and encouraging an inquiring attitude of mind? What kind of example do you set for them yourself in such matters?

1.5 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause,

Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

We shall find all kinds of precious wealth; we shall fill our houses with booty. Throw in your lot among us; let us all have one purse:

My son, walk not in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, which takes away the life of the owners thereof.

As a child moves out into the world, the teaching of the home may be undermined by the evil influences of society at large – just as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were enticed by the devil in God’s absence, and consented to his deceitful suggestions.

The immediate lesson here is that young people especially can be enticed, caught up in gangs and led astray by peer pressure and youth culture. They tend to look at the immediate rewards and ignore the long-term consequences of their actions. If you are a parent, how can you protect your children from evil influences, and involve them in constructive, wholesome activities instead?

Are you, as an adult, still conforming to the expectations of others, even your parents perhaps, yielding to emotional pressures of others around you after the manner of a gang member? Are your ambitions limited by the mediocre aspirations of friends and associates -- or do you mix with people who inspire you to make the most of your abilities and opportunities? Who sets the agenda for your life? Who pulls your strings?

Wealth gained by greed and dishonest means do not and cannot satisfy. The crook may live in a big mansion and drive a fast car – but deep down it takes away his life, says Solomon, because in his heart he knows he is despicable, and guilty before God, and he has no long-term future to look forward to.

1.6 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares, at the head of the noisy street, she cries out.

In the gateway of the city she makes her speech, saying: How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you.

The world desperately needs Wisdom, but most people are too busy living and working to stop and listen to her call. Are you ready to pause and pay heed, turn around and change your life?

Using a different metaphor, modern psychologists suggest that many, if not most, people are metaphorically sleep-walking, unthinkingly accepting self-imposed limitations and distorted views of reality, enslaved to bad habits and destructive impulses, and conforming to the expectations of other people. Their minds are closed, their ignorance is bliss, and they scorn those who dare to demonstrate ambition. Wisdom cries out to such individuals to wake up and open their eyes to reality, to turn away from their simple-minded ways and start thinking, really thinking, asking important questions and seeking Truth in all they do.

On those who do respond to the call of Wisdom, God promises to pour out his Spirit – and they will be supernaturally helped and begin to think in new and different ways, and acquire insight and understanding that would otherwise escape them.

1.7 Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

You have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes, When your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind, When distress and anguish comes upon you.

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Following the wonderful promise of the previous section, Solomon now issues a sobering warning. We cannot flout God’s law, thinking that we can always pray for his help if and when calamity strikes, and call him out like a repair man when the dishwasher breaks down. It will then be too late. Be warned also that Wisdom will not keep on calling you.

A farmer with an orchard has to make choices – should he grow plums or apples, for example? If he plants a plum tree he will get plums – but not immediately. It takes time, and I suppose, by careless mistake, what he thought was a plum sapling might turn out to be an apple. Either way, the outcome is automatic, and he has to accept the consequences of his actions and eat the fruit he has produced.

Like the farmer, we also have important choices to make. Are we choosing wisdom or foolishness? Sooner or later, we will find ourselves eating the fruit – the inevitable consequences of those choices. Perhaps Solomon is alluding here to the experience of Adam and Eve, who, under the devil’s deceptive influence, somehow reasoned that it was better to ignore God’s specific command to the contrary and go ahead and eat the forbidden fruit. Do we, equally unwisely, do stupid things when we do actually know better?

1.8 For the waywardness of the simple shall slay them, and the complacency of fools shall destroy them.

But whoso harks unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil

The law of cause and effect is at work in our lives, and what we do makes a difference, for better or worse. Here Solomon points out that we get ourselves into trouble in life in two ways – by Waywardness, the bad things we do because of our naïve simplicity and human weakness -- and by Complacency, the good things we fail to do, for various reasons. So, are we active or passive? Do we plan positive action to improve our lives and achieve worthwhile goals, or passively accept the dictates of circumstances that surround us?

Are we prepared to analyze and change a losing game -- to adopt new strategies, where necessary, to devise more effective tactics, to acquire new knowledge and develop better skills?

In the very last line of this first chapter, we find another valuable promise -- if we do turn to God and conduct our lives with wisdom, we shall dwell safely and need fear no evil.

Chapter 2 -- THE BENEFITS OF WISDOM

2.1 My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you;

So that you incline your ear unto wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding. Yes, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding.

If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasure. Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a shield to them that walk in integrity.

He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves the way of his saints.

Then shall you understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yes, every good path.

Do you sincerely want to become wise? The Lord gives wisdom, says Solomon, but we have to ask for it. Perhaps that is why James says in the New Testament: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given (James 1:5). When we do this, something special happens, as promised earlier, and the quality of our thinking begins to change and improve and we begin to learn.

To learn wisdom, we have to make a deliberate decision to do so – to listen and apply our heart, to think and analyze and meditate, to take note and inwardly digest. It is not a casual thing. We must value wisdom highly, says Solomon, and search diligently for it as we would for a hidden treasure of silver and gold.

Perhaps this is why Jesus says: The kingdom of heaven, the primary goal of the wise person, is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in this joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it (Matthew 13:44-46).

Notice that Godly wisdom is reserved for saints, which simply signifies those who are righteous in their conduct, or at least sincerely seeking God’s help to be so. Jesus says that God is actually looking for people, fallible human beings like you and me, who are willing to enter into this special relationship with him, saying: The time is coming and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks (John 4:23).

2.2 When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto your soul, discretion shall preserve you, understanding shall keep you: To deliver you from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaks froward things.

Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked. Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths.

Wisdom affects the way we think and the way we live, and helps us avoid stupid mistakes and bad influences. The truly wise person is a deep thinker, a sincere seeker after Truth. He is fully switched on, but cautious. Whatever his field of endeavor, he loves knowledge deeply, reaches for excellence, and continually grows in understanding.

The wise man also conducts his affairs with discretion, straightforwardness and honesty. Such wisdom, says James, comes from above and is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity (James 3:17).

The evil person, on the other hand, has a totally different approach, mistakenly thinking that the only way to get along in this world is by dishonesty and deception. Such people are froward -- perverse, difficult, cunning, and generally difficult and unpleasant to deal with. James describes their wisdom as earthly, un-spiritual, even devilish.

A path, metaphorically speaking, is a way of life that is established, like a trail across a field, by a person’s habitual pattern of thinking, speaking and acting. Do we take the straight and less traveled path of righteousness, with Wisdom as our companion -- or do we follow the evil and froward man along his crooked, dark and dangerous bye-ways? The two paths lead to different destinations.

2.3 To deliver you from the wife of another, from the adventuress with her smooth words.

Which forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house inclines unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither do they take hold of the paths of life.

So you will walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall inhabit the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Adultery is an ancient curse, destroying marriages and ruining the lives of children. Even today, whole societies and nations are being ruined by the sexual promiscuity of foolish people who are led by the nose by their lusts.

The wise man considers the consequences of his actions, and is not ruled by fleshly passions. As a result, he successfully resists the advances of the adventuress, the bored housewife who is looking for a bit of illicit fun to brighten her life. Such unwise liaisons can only lead to trouble, even violence and death, but strong men can be very weak and foolish, and the smooth words of a loose woman near irresistible.

This section also ends with a very important promise – namely that the upright and righteous will inhabit the land, but that the wicked will be rooted out, like weeds from a garden. The meek shall inherit the earth, says Jesus (Matthew 5:5), and that is the message here. No matter how powerful the wicked may be or become, in the end they will be uprooted and destroyed. Solomon’s inspired proverbs reach out into the future, beyond death, on to the Judgment and into Eternal Life.

Chapter 3 -- FURTHER BENEFITS OF WISDOM

3.1 My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart. So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Walking in harmony with God’s laws and actively avoiding evil can prolong your life, says Solomon. Notice the promise of peace of mind – which is also described by Paul, when he says: The peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).

Commit yourself to being honest and kind, and you will win friends and influence people. Make it a top priority, and you will obtain favor with God and man alike. To some people, however, these suggestions make no sense at all, because the wisdom of God is foolishness to them. It’s a jungle out there they say, It’s the survival of the fittest! But God is greater than the jungle.

3.2 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.

Wisdom alone is not enough to cope with the complexities and potential hazards of life. So trust in the Lord with all your heart, says Solomon. Never be self-sufficient and wise in your own eyes. Never think you know it all. Never rely on your own very limited understanding of life’s complexities -- which was the mistake made by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when they ignored God’s specific warning and took and ate the forbidden fruit – it looked good, it tasted good, but it ended up killing them.

Here is another important promise: If we do acknowledge and trust in God in all we do, he will direct our paths. He will be our personal coach, our trainer, our guru.

The New Testament word for trust is faith, and Paul says: "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

3.3 Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase. So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine.

Here is yet another important promise. God has the power bless us financially, and if we honor him with our income, by giving generously to the poor and starving of the world, for example, he will reward us generously.

The potential size of a harvest is clearly limited by the amount of seed the farmer sows in the field in the first place. Applying this principle to giving, Paul says: Whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whosoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6). It has been said that you cannot out-give God.

3.4 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither be weary of his correction. For whom the LORD loves he corrects, even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Effective parents correct their children for their future benefit – in speech, hygiene habits, manners and so on. Likewise, God corrects us – for our benefit, not because he is peeved in some way, but to make us more happy and successful people, in whose words and actions he can delight.

Paul quotes this same section, saying: The Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every son he receives(Hebrews 12:6-7). As with a parent, that correction begins with words, but action may follow if there is no response, which is why Paul also says: If we judged ourselves, we would not be judged (1Corinthians 11:31).

3.5 Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding. For she is more profitable than silver, and yields better returns than fine