Friday, May 20
Reader: “For the Lord grants wisdom!”
Response: “He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.”
Scripture: Proverbs 2:6-8
For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
Some thoughts:
If you are like me, sometimes when you read the Bible you just read words, nice words of inspiration and move on. What is more helpful is to think about what we read! Ask yourself questions like―Why are the words in that order? How does this phrase or verse relate to the previous verse or the verse that follows? What was going on when the author wrote this? What do I know about the writer’s life? What words or phrases are repeated? What are the verbs associated with God? What are the cause and effect clauses? The book of Proverbs is an ideal place to ask these kinds of questions.
So, let’s start with this book of Solomon’s, the wisest man who ever lived according to God’s assessment! (I Kings 3:12) We are all familiar with the phrase, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” which occurs just before today’s passage. (Prov 1:7) The verbs regarding wisdom immediately preceding our section are: listen, treasure, tune, concentrate, cry out, ask, search, and seek. (Proverbs 2: 1-4) When those verbs are in operation in our lives then today’s pericope is the result.
The Lord gives wisdom to such a person in the form of knowledge and the ability to know what to do with the knowledge. What is the source of this knowledge from God? Solomon writes that it comes from God’s mouth. And how does God’s mouth speak? He speaks in the Scriptures, his words. Abandoning God and ignoring the Scriptures will never lead to wisdom and knowledge nor will it lead to common sense. It is possible to surmise that the rampant dishonesty and rejection of God we see all around may explain the great lack of common sense circulating throughout our world today. Ridiculous conclusions are all around us.
What is the most honest source which describes the reality of what is happening in our world? It is God’s word that describes the truth perfectly. (John 18:37-38, Pilate’s question to Jesus) The words of Scripture when applied make for the most honest people and the most common sense. And God is the shield for their integrity. He validates their wisdom. Furthermore, God guards and protects those who are faithful which includes their honesty and integrity. Notice what God does when his children seek wisdom in his word. He grants wisdom to his own. He grants common sense to his own. He acts as a shield to his own. He guards his own. He protects his own. Why would anyone not seek wisdom from God? Solomon has laid it all out for us. Put these verbs in operation: listen, treasure, tune, concentrate, cry out, ask, search, and seek. And godly wisdom follows close behind!
Music: “Lord of Creation” Isle of Man Methodist Church
Prayer:
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking, lighten our darkness, we beseech Thee, and by Thy great mercy defend us; for the love of Thine only Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. BCP