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August 10 - August 24, 2024
So-called “wisdom” that is from the world is easier to obtain and easier to follow than wisdom that comes from God.
Parents should deliberately teach their children in the ways of wisdom.
Proverbs tells us that “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child”
This “rod of correction” includes far more than corporal punishment.
We all wrestle with our sin, and so we all make bad decisions from time to time.
We worship a God who created the universe by the power of His word. When God speaks, everything in the universe obeys, and Jesus Himself is described as being “the Word”
power of speech.
We were given language as a gift from God, and He expects us to use that gift to glorify the One who gave it.
Proverbs tells us that the wise person will be one whose words are filled with knowledge and understanding.
to use our gift of language wisely, and we will also discover that wise speech can help a person grow in wisdom.
Solomon opens his teachings by reminding us that our speech influences our behavior—and he contrasts it with the speech of an adulteress.
we gain wisdom only by being willing to learn and apply ourselves to hearing wise instruction.
Discretion comes from a Latin word meaning “separation.”
The wise person will also “keep knowledge,” which reminds us that wise speech is a skill that can be lost if we are not diligent to pursue it.
Honey is sweet—cloyingly sweet—but it lacks substance, while wise speech is substantially endowed with knowledge.
In other words, her words are slick with flattery and lies.
The adulteress’s seduction begins sweet and smooth, but it ends in bitterness, violence, and death.
The adulteress’s feet lead her away from her home and out into the streets. The feet of the fool lead him to the grave.
The fool sets his feet in motion when he listens to the words of the adulteress and follows them to death and destruction.
She deliberately avoids considering her ways because she does not want to face the pit that lies before her.
As we have seen, Solomon’s own life demonstrated that a wise man can depart from wisdom.
The person who wants to avoid the lies of the adulteress can begin by avoiding the situations that lead to hearing those words.
“left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside”
The wise person will speak the truth at all times, but his words will be tempered with love.
That is, one who hints and makes insinuations while not openly making any accusations that can be verified or refuted.
The wise person’s speech leads others toward righteousness and eternal life by encouraging them to godliness and reminding them of the gospel.
The person who speaks with wisdom is circumspect and first considers a matter before commenting on it.
Their speech is therefore mere empty prattle. They might consider themselves to be wise, but the rod of correction awaits them.
As our storehouse of knowledge grows, it will overflow into wise words.
The wise person is reticent and determined to think carefully before answering.
The fool, however, is quick to respond, even though he is devoid of wisdom.
His words will bring about his own...
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A wise person restrains his tongue because he knows speaking too much may cause him to fall into sin.
Solomon uses these words as parallel terms because they are inseparably linked.
Sound teaching “feeds” and provides benefits to all, but the fool starves himself to death spiritually by his lack of wise teaching.
The wise person’s speech will also be filled with knowledge drawn from the storehouse of Scripture.
We can use words both to build up and tear down.
harsh words can actually create anger where none existed before.
God gives us knowledge, understanding, and wisdom so we may become more like Christ and help others become more like Him as well.
It is wrong to use knowledge for self-aggrandizement or for browbeating others.
This refers to God’s omniscience.
A wholesome tongue is a “tree of life” in that it speaks words that nurture and bring healing.
Our words can either lead people toward Christ or away from Him—there is no neutral ground.
He will use knowledge rightly
Wise people will act justly and share their wisdom at the right time to build up another person and set him or her on the right course.
“You shall not . . . take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.”
Wicked people don’t guard their words, while the wise are a model of restraint and humility, speaking what they know to be true at the appropriate time.
Whatever is good—whatever is sound truth and wisdom—stirs the heart by relieving anxiety and producing a cheerful face.
Once again, acquiring wisdom requires a teachable spirit.
James warns us that our tongues are an unruly evil, set on fire by the flames of hell. The wise person will strive for mastery of the tongue.
