Wisdom: The Eyes Have It
Proverbs 1:1-7
His car dealership is filled with exotic cars: Bentleys, Cadillacs, “Beamers”, and “’Vettes. With a rainbow of colors available, David Jones of Worcestershire, England, is one sharp dealer. Recently, he added the Internet to his sales force and eBay is taking his specialty cars to the wide, wide world via the world wide web.
Jack Neal loves cars. And he knows a lot about them. He can identify various models right off the top of his head and even give detailed information about the vehicle. Jack owns quite a collection: sports cars, pickups, Hyundais and Hummers. A shiny car will capture his attention wherever Jack sees it, on the street or on the shelf.
This past week, Jack made the deal of a lifetime. Stopping by the computer in his home, Jack saw it! A shiny little Nissan Figaro at David Jones’ dealership for only $16,000. His eyes glistened as he looked at the car. And Jack being nimble and quick made one fast click and, the transaction was processed. Even though Jack cannot read. It’s amazing what can be done over the Internet!
The purchase was soon cancelled, though. Jack had made the deal of the century with a credit card not his own. It’s probably for the best. Pink is not Jack’s color. And he would have to wait thirteen years in order to drive it. Jack is only three! Besides all that, Jack’s mother, being quite surprised at the email she received from David Jones concerning the purchase, said “No”!
"I had just come off the computer, and I thought I had logged off. I came out of eBay," his mother, Rachel, told the British Broadcasting Corp. "Jack jumped on the chair, (went) straight in, found the page and bought the car."
Jones is not holding Jack to the purchase. He has a two-and-a-half year old of his own, whom he has determined to keep away from the computer!
Proverbs 1:1-6
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young--
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance--
6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
We all want Wisdom…
Proverbs 1:1-6 (MsgB)
These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David’s son, Israel’s king—
[2] Written down so we’ll know how to live well and right,
to understand what life means and where it’s going;
[3] A manual for living,
for learning what’s right and just and fair;
[4] To teach the inexperienced the ropes
and give our young people a grasp on reality.
[5] There’s something here also for seasoned men and women,
[6] still a thing or two for the experienced to learn—
Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate,
the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.
…and we all need Wisdom!
How do we get Wisdom?
Psalm 111:10
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
(NIV)
“Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God;”
Proverbs 1:7 a - The Message
"To discover your purpose in life you must turn to God’s Word, not the world’s wisdom." - Rick Warren
Following this worldly wisdom, sometimes called “conventional wisdom”, only invites disaster!
James 3:15-16
15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
(NIV)
1 Corinthians 14:33
33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…
(NIV)
James 3:17
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
(NIV)
Three steps to gaining Godly wisdom:
Stop, Listen, and Look!
Conventional Wisdom places these in the wrong sequence. Conventional Wisdom says Look first at the circumstances and the situation, then listen to the various opinions of others, and finally stop or proceed as the situation dictates.
Godly wisdom requires us to stop first.
We are so bent on looking first that we look over wisdom God has already given us. The reason Eve chose the fruit of the tree in the Garden, even though she knew God said not to touch it, was that she “saw” it was “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Genesis 3:6). Eve had “heard” the voice of God with her own ears but she trusted her “eyes”. So she touched it, took it, and gave it to Adam who must have thought it was a good idea too. All Adam and Eve had to do was stop long enough to remember what God had told them and heed what they had heard!
When the circumstances around you look like you should do something you know God has forbidden, who do you trust, the circumstances or the Savior?
Godly wisdom calls us to Listen next.
Proverbs 1:20-23
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.
(NIV)
Convention wisdom speaks consensus
Godly wisdom speaks commitment
Conventional wisdom recognizes common belief
Godly wisdom recognizes uncommon belief
______________________________________
Conventional wisdom takes its cue from the multitude
Godly wisdom takes its cue from the Master
Godly wisdom says, “Look last”!
If only Elijah had followed the plan of Godly Wisdom, he would not have known the pain of following conventional wisdom!
I King 19:1-18
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."
6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you."
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.
16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.
18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-- all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
(NIV)
