A wise person is not one who has merely mastered wisdom, but who has been mastered by it. But a child reaches the height of wisdom when the skill learned from others actually becomes her own. In the first three steps outlined in Proverbs 2:1–8, wisdom mainly exists outside the learner or child: in the wisdom of teachers, parents, or even God himself. And this internalized wisdom not only guides but also changes you, so that you actually enjoy God’s wise ways (2:10). ” The reason for such comprehensive and mature insight is that wisdom has now come to reside deep inside you, in your heart. Proverbs 2:9 says that after you’ve received God’s wisdom, you will understand “every good track. And now the fourth step goes even further. The third step (2:5–8) gains the ingredients required for wisdom: the fear of the Lord and wise teaching from his mouth. The next step starts one’s own personal quest to seek wisdom from God (2:3–4). Retracing the flow of thought begun in Proverbs 2:1, the first step away from folly requires simply accepting the wisdom of others (Proverbs 2:1–2). And any who gain this wisdom will begin to benefit from this wisdom (2:7–8). Alongside the fear of God, also comes some initial wisdom from God. His eyes start to open to a new reality of life: God himself. He gives “the fear of the Lord,” which is the prerequisite for living wisely, and he also begins to give out some beginner’s skills in wise living (2:5–6).Ī child living in the “fear of the Lord” begins to factor the reality of God into his own perceptions of life. When the Lord hears requests for wisdom, he answers by giving the elements required to get wisdom. What is sought and requested in Proverbs 2:3–4, is found in 2:5–6 and enjoyed in 2:7–8.

The next two verses lay out the next step toward wisdom. For he is the Source of true wisdom, and he generously gives wisdom to those who seek it. If someone lacks wisdom, he should expectantly ask God to meet that need (James 1:5). You can also provide a model of asking by praying with your child for the wisdom he or she needs. This kind of prayer plays a vital role in the treasure hunt for wisdom, whose value exceeds gold or silver (Proverbs 3:14).Īs a parent, you should encourage your child to ask God for the skill needed to make wise choices. They must also start praying that God would give them the wisdom they don’t yet have. Seek the Wisdom You Lack (2:3–4)Īccording to Solomon, the next piece of wise instruction a child must accept is this: “Start seeking wisdom yourself.” Those who accept the wisdom of others should not become content to be spoon-fed by others. The next generation takes their first steps on the road toward wisdom by accepting the wise instruction of others. And to then impart this wisdom to your child, you must talk, talk, talk, teach, teach, teach. If you are a parent, don’t forget that God has already provided your child with his first building block to be wise: you! This requires that you must be wise yourself-knowing and living in harmony with God’s created and moral order. This first phase implies active teaching by the mentor and active listening by the learner. Notice how in these first two verses, he simply welcomes wisdom from others: “accept,” “store up,” “make your ear attentive,” “apply your heart toward understanding.” Accept the Wisdom You Have (2:1–2)Īccording to Proverbs 2, the naive or untrained person must first willingly receive the wisdom of his instructors (parents, teachers, etc.). Proverbs 2:1–10, one of the most orderly and structured passages in the entire book, maps out this march toward wisdom. Thankfully, God has described these stages for us. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the process of learning God’s ways in his orderly world has a definite beginning, a desired ending, and many steps in between. The pathway of wisdom is walked, not sprinted. Of course, thriving in these relationships doesn’t happen overnight. This includes properly relating to God, other people, the created world, and one’s self.

Proverbs views wisdom as skill in relationships-living in right relationship with the realities of God’s good and orderly, but fallen and chaotic universe. What is the biblical concept of wisdom? A wise person knows how God has made the world to work and skillfully shapes his life to go with (not against) the grain of God’s creation. Turn to any portion of Proverbs and you will be confronted with a fork in the road: Will you take the pathway of wisdom or the pathway of folly? Though Proverbs addresses dozens of topics, its thirty-one chapters actually present every reader with only two routes through life: the wise way or the foolish way.

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