Want to be a wise guy?
Want to be a Wise Guy (Proverbs 1:1-6)? Let's start with the obvious. The only acceptable answer for the true believer is, 'YES'! God has plans for us, and those plans involve turning us into passionate worshipers of Jesus Christ whose lives glorify Christ. He intends to use us as tools to glorify Him by serving others and loving His Son. This requires that we learn to live as wise men and women.
All of which means that you and I need to learn godly wisdom so that we might be sharp and useful tools in His hands. If someone came to you asking questions about the Bible, about salvation, about God, about wisdom for living life in a fallen world, or about the hope that is in you, Christian, would you be ready? According to 1 Peter 3:15, we do need to be ready.
The book of Proverbs is a finely tuned library of wisdom for living as God's people in a fallen world. The book opens with a statement of its intended purpose (Proverbs 1:2-4), and then moves forward to a basic plan to help the reader accomplish this purpose (Proverbs 1:5-6). This introduction ends with the basic theme of the book in Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
There is no point in going any further at all in our quest to become wise people who are useful to God if we do not possess the proper fear of God. The proper fear of God involves a profound recognition of His perfect holiness, coupled with a deep sense of our own failure and sinfulness (see Isaiah 6:1-7 for a great illustration of these two parallel dynamics). Seeing God's holiness and our sinfulness should drive us to the Cross of Christ, begging for mercy. Only through the blood of the Cross can our sin be forgiven (1 Cor 15:1-4; Gal 3:13; Hebrews 9:22, 26; 1 Peter 3:18; Rev 1:5). When we believe the testimony God has given of His Son (1 John 5:9-12), repenting of and confessing our sins, turning in faith to Christ (Romans 10:9-10, 13), we are forgiven and given eternal life (1 John 5:13). Only at this point can we begin to think about being a tool in God's hand. Prior to this point we are under the judgment of God (John 3:18) and are characterized as being dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesian 2:1-10).
If we want to be wise people who will be useful in God's hands to serve others and worship Christ, the book of Proverbs is a great place to begin. It is a rich book for parents, children, employees, employers, and those involved in government.
Proverbs has 31 chapters. Perhaps you might consider, each day, consulting the calendar. Whatever day of the month it is, read that chapter (on the tenth of the month, for instance, read Proverbs chapter 10). Make this a life-long habit, Christian, and God will add wisdom to your life as you obey Him.
