Wisdom

Wisdom. What you can pray for me too as I celebrate life from the Giver.

The main purpose of Proverbs is to help the reader “…attain wisdom and discipline.” (Prov. 1:2)

Wisdom as mentioned in Proverbs is not about acquiring a deep set of knowledge or having some mystical understanding or insight. It is about learning to live in a responsible, productive and meaningful way. The original Hebrew word used for wisdom means “skill in living.” It is similar to what we would call being “street smart,” or common sense - an understanding of how things work in this world. It is about applying knowledge of such truth in our day-to-day lives. It is about observations and principles about how life works.

Israel’s leaders, foremost among them Solomon, wrote Proverbs to help their people succeed in every aspect of their lives - relationships, family, work and business, community, government, personal growth, etc. (NOTE : To succeed or “success” here does not refer to what the world views as success - fortune, fame, power, position, etc. but success in a biblical or godly perspective.) The end of Proverbs is to help people attain full, meaningful and abundant lives (John 10:10). Wisdom is ultimately attained by fearing or honoring God, understanding His will and doing it. (Prov. 1:7)

The wise person pursues good and avoids evil because he has observed what others have chosen and then has made decisions based on the outcomes. He may have an intellectual understanding of what is good and what is evil but observing the consequences of decisions made (either by others or by himself) reinforces his ability to make the proper choices.