Proverbs 1.4-6
“…to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.”
Let me ask a question: As a Christian, how much rigorous training have you received in the skills of careful observation and clear thinking? How much training have you received in how to develop a plan, implement a plan, and make adjustments as the plan unfolds in the real world?
I don’t mean you heard a sermon on these topics or did a bible study or attended a conference where these skills were addressed. By “rigorous training” I mean you have been instructed in the process and the skills, you did the work of applying what you learned, you received feedback from a coach or instructor, you made adjustments, and then repeated the process until you gained real-world competence.
We trust in Christ, attend church, listen to sermons, read the Bible, and even participate in small groups — and yet often fail to commit to a disciplined process (musar) of building skill for life and work in the real world. It is not enough to have conceptual knowledge of God and Christian doctrine. True wisdom is the daily application of God’s truth through careful observation, clear thinking, and disciplined action.
The consequence of not being trained is that we lack wisdom and skill for responding to the issues, circumstances, and challenges of life in a complex world.
The wisdom of Proverbs comes in sound bites. The entire book is a series of short, power statements of truth. Verse 6 above describes it as “the words of the wise and their riddles.” There is a wealth of practical wisdom to be found in the sound bites of Proverbs, but only if you do the work to understand what is being said. Lazy or careless people will give up before they get the insight and the benefit.
Verses 4-6 of chapter 1 describe four kinds of people who would benefit from the book of Proverbs:
The simple. People who are naive, impulsive, and easily lead astray. Their need is to be taught. The benefit of Proverbs to this group is that they learn prudence (ormah), which is the discipline to think and gain clarity before you take action.
The young man. Person who is immature and inexperienced, with limited exposure to the realities of life and work. Need = experience and exposure to wisdom. Benefit of Proverbs = Gain knowledge of God’s standards, and develop the discipline to plan, execute, and adjust in the real world.
The wise. People who have wisdom and skill. Need = keep listening to God and keep developing in wisdom. The benefit of Proverbs = increased learning, deeper growth, and greater impact.
Those of understanding. People who are discerning and disciplined. Need = stay on course and help others. The benefit of Proverbs is continued wise guidance for how to respond to the stuff of life, and a practical resource for teaching and training others.
Where are you on that list? In what area of your life is the book of Proverbs challenging you to be more disciplined and thoughtful? What wisdom skills do you need to build? What action are you taking to build those skills? What is your plan for rigorous training that will make you a better thinker?
We make decisions every day, and then our decisions make us. This is why scripture continually speaks about renewing the mind and improving the way we think. The Lord calls us to make wise decisions, and for that to happen, we must progressively grow in our ability to think effectively.
“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14.20).
