The Bible Edge
Practical Points to Ponder from Proverbs
Proverbs 1:1
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
The wisdom of Solomon is legendary. By reading the book of Proverbs any person can gain from his wisdom and become wise. It’s been said that smart individuals learn from experience, and that wise people learn from the experiences of others. The opening verses of the book of Proverbs gives wonderful promises to those who will heed its teachings.
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
In this book there are four basic categories of people: the simple, the scorner, the fool, and the wise. Of these three, no doubt anyone reading this devotion would desire the last to be their testimony. But wisdom, being wise, is a double-edged sword. There is earthly wisdom, and there is heavenly wisdom. The wisdom found in Proverbs is heavenly wisdom. Not the wisdom like the woman, Eve, desired when she partook of the forbidden fruit, but rather wisdom from God that we might know His wisdom.
For example, consider Proverbs 1:10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. How much would have been spared by just obeying this simple verse. Embarrassment, humiliation, guilt, fear, and probably a waste of money would have been side-stepped simply by not going along with the enticement of sinners. Probably we each have our own stories of things we did that we now regret because we failed to obey this one verse. Peer pressure is strong, it’s alluring, it’s almost intoxicating, and it can be used for good or bad. The cure for bad peer pressure is to …consent thou not. This takes strength of character, a strong moral compass, devotion to the Lord, respect to authority, and a little fear of the unwanted consequences that always arise from making bad decisions.
The Proverbs of Solomon come first and foremost from the Lord. After all, it is He that gave Solomon such wisdom and knowledge. The simplest among humans can read and understand the words and teachings of this book. It is a collection of wise sayings compiled for the singular purpose of making the simple wise. Over the next 30 devotions or so let’s highlight one thought from each chapter. For on almost every page, in every chapter, and in every verse, there is an edge, a Bible Edge guaranteed to give wisdom and understanding to anyone who will simply read and obey. By doing so the last verse of chapter one will be that person’s testimony; But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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