This week's Bible Study - June 1, 2008
Extraordinary Wisdom for Everyday Living
Your Ticket to Real Success
 Background Scripture:
Proverbs 1:1-7, 2:4-8, 3:5-6, 11-12
Quote of the Week:
“Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.”
Arnold Glasgow
What is wisdom? Some people would say that wisdom is scholarly knowledge and learning. Certainly, there is something to be said about the 'wisdom of the schools'. However, there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. For example, it is more that the knowledge of what is true or right, but wisdom involves acting on that knowledge. In several areas of learning, I think you can find people who have studied in schools and have become very knowledgeable about a variety of things. They may be in all types of professions, knowing the things that need to be done. However, their application of that knowledge is often lacking.
We see the same things happening in churches today, and sadly, I have been guilty of having the knowledge, but not the wisdom, at points in my life. Growing up in church all my life and hearing age appropriate Sunday School lessons, various Bible Studies and literally thousands of sermons, I have learned a lot about what the Bible says. However, some of the largest mistakes in my life came not because I didn't know better, but because I didn't apply what I knew. It was essentially a lack of wisdom. I feel certain that I'm not the only person who has experienced this.
In life, I don't know of many people who don't want to find success. It may different forms of success that they speak. Athletes seek to win championships. Some people want financial success and they spend time watching all of their investments and worrying over every spent nickel. Some are looking for relationship success, or success in raising their children. Pastors want a successful church and everyone is looking for a measure of success in something that they do. Sometimes it can be very bad to make that pursuit as the main goal in life, because you may find that you get there and it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. I've heard the story of an older test pilot who had retired and found it very unrewarding. His life had been about a drive - no matter how much he succeeded, he wanted more. In retirement, he lost that drive.
It's not just enough to seek success. As the lesson title says, we must seek real success. If you have some other goal, then you may place all of your efforts in the wrong direction. The Bible tells us that we can have the ticket to real success. But, this success is not an athletic championship, or career fulfillment, or any of several other things that people are looking to for success.
The book of Proverbs was written by Solomon, son of King David. Solomon was known as the wisest man in the Bible. When he was given the opportunity to ask for something of the Lord, rather than choosing silver or gold or prosperity, he chose wisdom. Not many people then, nor today, would choose wisdom. Some would choose three wishes, so that they could always make the third wish for three more wishes.
Solomon penned the proverbs so that people could attain wisdom. The book of Proverbs is one of the best books of the Bible to read through in a month - there are 31 chapters, so that a chapter could be read each day - and each chapter is packed full of tangible words of wisdom. What are the reasons given for writing of the proverbs? The passage indicates several things - attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life; doing what is right and just an fair; for giving prudence to the simply, knowledge and discretion to the young. There are stories that parents often use to get their children to understand why they need to do certain things or stay away from other things. Sometimes, our words are not enough - it may take a near catastrophe to teach wisdom to some. There are those who have very nearly escaped tragic accidents - they learn the reasons to pay attention while driving. There are those who have started fires that almost consume a house - they learn to not play with matches. There are those who have touched a hot stove - they learn to stay away from hot stoves. It would be good if our children didn't learn like this, but we often find ourselves learning through tragic mistakes we make in life.
The book of Proverbs was written to add quality to life. It is applicable to mature believers, as they may already be wise, but can add to their learning. It is written for guidance of the discerning, so that they can understand proverbs and parables, the sayings and the riddles of the wise. Truly we need to have a different mindset as we study the word of God. Sometimes, we can read the stories of the Bible and treat them like a novel, and at other times, God will use that same reading to speak to us in a marvelous manner.
This passage says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Do we equate the fear of the Lord with knowledge? Some people place anything to do with the Lord in an hour or two time slot on Sundays, but they go to universities for true learning. They act as if the two are mutually exclusive. However, a fear of the Lord will bring knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and discipline. Are we seeking the wisdom of the Lord, or are we seeking the best that the world has to offer?
In the second chapter, Solomon continues to explain how one can attain wisdom. One must store up the commands of scripture and apply themselves for understanding. We are often guilty of lightly reading God's word and not allowing it to take root in our lives. In other areas of our lives, we will apply ourselves to find knowledge and wisdom. We often need to learn more for our jobs, and we will go to whatever extreme we need to do this. You probably know of others, if not yourself, that have gone back to school for further degrees. The amount of effort expended is large, often causing people to be away from families and other pursuits. But, because of the desire to obtain a degree, other things drop to the side. Do many people take this type of attitude with Scripture? As believers, we know that the words of God bring life, yet we generally give lip service, if that. It's no wonder that it doesn't sink in for most people
Solomon tells people that they need to turn their ears and apply their hearts, calling out of insight and crying aloud for understand. This doesn't sound like a passive observer, which is a fairly accurate description of most church members on any given Sunday. The passage continues to say that we must look for wisdom as if we were looking for hidden treasure. If you had the inside scoop on the location of a massive amount of hidden treasure, what priority would that get in your life? Why do we end up thinking that the money in the bank is worth more than the words of God that impact eternity? If we don't seek the wisdom of the Lord with an intent to find it, we will miss it.
Wisdom comes from the Lord, and he also gives us knowledge and understanding. As we begin to apply the wisdom of the Lord, he will protect us in our walk. He gives victory to the upright. He is a shield to those who walk is blameless. He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Does this mean that nothing will ever come our way, if we are faithful? Certainly not. Now, I do know that many of us have experienced consequences to choosing our own path and not the path of the Lord - this is an example of not using the wisdom of the Lord. However, there are others who are faithfully following the Lord, yet they encounter problems in life. There are some very tragic events that have unfolded in the lives of some faithful believers. Yet, in the midst of our circumstance, God continues to show that he will protect the way of his faithful ones. I've seen this in the lives of those who have made major mistakes, yet God still works in their lives. I've seen this, perhaps more acutely, in the lives of those who have experienced tragedy. God is the provider of the needs - the father of the fatherless and the one who can be turned to, in any situation.
Hopefully, by this point, you are beginning to understand that the source of wisdom is not universities or self examination. The source of wisdom is the Lord. If we are truly seeking any type of success in life, we should rely less upon on our own understanding and lean wholly upon the Lord. It's not to say that we, as believers, are always going out on our own, but sometimes we tend to think that we are best able to fend for ourselves. The area that seems to be the most dangerous is when we think we can handle something - or are above some type of temptation. This is when we are most likely to fall. Our guard gets dropped - and we are relying more upon ourselves and less upon the Lord.
We are not called to pick and choose which areas of God's word that we are to follow. We are to make our lives subject to his ways. When we acknowledge him in all of our ways, he will make our paths straight. What areas of your life are you holding out, so that you can do what you want? Are there areas where the wisdom of God wants to bring you back in alignment with his word? Do we think that He is intent upon hindering us from what is good in this life? God wants to make your paths straight - and to bring you success.
As believers, we tend to have this way of getting back in alignment, although it might come at a great cost. Those who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, yet find themselves marching to the beat of their own drum, will one day find themselves being rebuked by the Lord. This may sound bad, but this is often the time where God speaks most plainly to any of us. Nobody wants to be rebuked and nobody wants to deal with problems in life, but this is when we are more able to hear God's voice clearly.
Just as a father disciplines his son, so also the Lord disciplines his children. Rather than resent this discipline, we should learn from what he says, and realize that he wants to give us life and life more abundantly. A father wants the best for his children. As kids, we probably didn't realize that, but as we've grown, our parents seem smarter and smarter.
Closing
Do you want success in life? Clearly, the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord far exceeds what the world has to offer. And, for a believer, success comes in growing closer to the Lord. This not only impacts your relationship with him, but will also impact every other aspect of your life.
|