“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” (Proverbs 1:33)
This is the last verse of the first proverb by Solomon on knowledge and wisdom. This verse particularly in the section titled The Call of Wisdom, is written as if wisdom is speaking. Solomon had prayed for wisdom and God answered his prayer. His outlet was to write all his observations. And Solomon wrote lots about wisdom in his proverbs.
Biblical wisdom is “understanding life from God’s perspective.” So a person could have lots of knowledge and still not have wisdom if he is apart from God because wisdom comes from God. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5) It’s a gift that God gives freely if we ask for it. Solomon prayed for wisdom. “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?” (1Kings 3:9) And God granted him “a wise and understanding heart.” (1Kings 3:10) Wisdom goes hand in hand with understanding. It's not merely knowledge, but knowledge with understanding and acting accordingly. Not acting accordingly is not wisdom at all.
There can be no wisdom without God. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) So wisdom begins when we reverence the Lord. It’s the first real wise thing we can do. The fear of God is what keeps us from being evil. (Proverbs 1:7, Job 28:28) It’s what keeps us in line and from acting out our evil desires. And obeying God’s commandments is understanding. (Psalm 111:10)
Albert Einstein is credited with the saying that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” And that is what people do with their knowledge of God. They do things mindlessly like pray a prayer repeating only words, light candles, attend church and follow other religious practices without getting in touch with the One they are petitioning. Our “doing” is not wisdom. The Word of God doesn’t say wisdom is doing anything. It's the heart fear, reverence and recognition of God’s position as the Almighty over all things that exist including our own breath and life. It recognition and acting in accordance with obedience and submission to His Will whether we like it or not.
But how do we get to that point. All believers have done it. We have given our lives to Him. We’ve given Him the reins to steer our lives. We’ve made Him Lord. But it doesn’t stop there. This is just the beginning. We are assured of His protection and safety. (Proverbs 1:33) There is no instruction of protection and no weapon of protection that is better that the promise of protection from the Lord. “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” (Proverbs 3:21-26)
What happens when we get tragic and devasting news? Most people fall apart. I will never forget when my husband’s job closed down without warning. People did the craziest things. Some went out and got drunk. Others got sick. And still others bought everything their hearts desired on a credit card they never intended to pay. But our dependance was not in that job, but on God. He is our provider. And although it was difficult for three years, God provided. God sustained us. And God brought us through the rough time. Wisdom was to wait on God and act as He closed doors and opened doors. The psalmist writes about the man that fears God. “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalms 112:7) The fear of God helps us to act in wisdom.
Unfortunately, Solomon didn’t continue in the wisdom of God. He married idolatrous wives who led him astray. Which shows us that it’s still our choice. Will we follow wisdom or choose to be foolish knowing the consequences are calamitous? Of course, God wants us to choose wisdom and to choose Him. But most of all He wants it to be our choice. He’s laid out life and death, wisdom or foolishness for us to choose.
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