We continue our series on Proverbs and come to a passage on asking and receiving wisdom. Let's read.
1 My son, accept my words. Store up my commands inside you. 2 Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding. 3 Call out for the ability to be wise. Cry out for understanding. 4 Look for it as you would look for silver. Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure. 5 Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord. You will find out how to know God.
Proverbs 2:1-5 (NIRV)
Discussion
- This passage is structured like a big if - then argument. If you do this, then you this will happen.
- These are the if things mentioned here
- accept my words - the Hebrew word translated accept means "to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away." With such a broad range of meanings, there's a variety of ways you might accept wisdom. What matters is that you make it yours!
- Store up my commands inside you - this implies not just storing up, but hiding and treasuring God's commandments
- Let your ears listen to wisdom - don't just listen to wisdom, but pay attention to wisdom
- Apply your heart to understanding - means to stretch out, extend, or bend your heart. Perhaps even make changes to your heart for wisdom's sake
- Call out for the ability to be wise - implies asking out loud for wisdom.
- Cry out for understanding - again implies using your voice to ask for wisdom
- Look for it as you would look for silver - silver was valuable as is wisdom. You are to look for wisdom as if it's something you require.
- for it as you would search for hidden treasure - How would you go looking for a hidden treasure? You might use a treasure map. When you get to the spot marked "X," you might pull out your shovel and start to dig. You would dig until you found the treasure.
- If you do these things, "Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord."
- The fear (or proper respect) of God is the beginning of wisdom - it brings you wisdom
- If you do all these things to seek after wisdom, you will respect God
- which will bring you wisdom
- which will cause you to seek more wisdom
- which will...
- Which ultimately leads to knowing God better and better.
- How do you want to seek wisdom?
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