A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel…

                                                                                                     Proverbs 1:5 

Today: Read Proverbs 1

Proverbs is an excellent source for wisdom as it provides us with timeless principles for life. Like the entirety of God’s word, spending time in the Proverbs opens up opportunities for God to speak to us and continue to shape our lives. I want to encourage you to carve out some time to read an entire chapter of Proverbs daily. This will allow you to read through the book in a month. Each day, we will focus on just one portion from each chapter. So let’s begin with today’s passage.

As an educator, teacher, preacher, and writer, my focus is always on seeing people grow in their faith in Jesus Christ. Today’s passage underscores this theme as Solomon gives us no less than three characteristics of a truly wise man or woman.

First, a wise individual will hear. To hear goes beyond merely receiving sound waves into the ear. You may know all too well what it’s like in a marriage for your spouse to ignore you while you’re talking. It’s not that they are incapable of hearing the sound coming from your voice it’s just that communication is far from effectively taking place. The distracted spouse can often accurately repeat back what was said but much to the chagrin of the speaker. Merely hearing doesn’t necessarily establish communication.

Jesus is recorded seven times in scripture as saying, “If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” He is not referring to the ability to receive sound waves rather he is talking about receiving, understanding, and accepting spiritual truth into one’s life. For us to consider ourselves as wise, we must be willing to accept instruction from the word of God. The unbelieving world will reject these truths, often labeling them as “foolishness.” But to the born again believer in Christ, scriptural truth acts as a roadmap through the minefield of life. Walking in these truths protects us and keeps us from wandering into dangerous areas that are the world’s philosophies.

Secondly, a wise individual will increase in learning. Intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth is a lifelong process. When we stop learning, we stop growing. Yes, experiences are a part of this learning process but if we fail to properly assess these encounters through the lens of the Bible, we can often draw false conclusions. A Christian should always be moldable and teachable. While there are some truths that are non-negotiable, I believe a large majority of the dogmatic positions we see today do not correctly fall into the category of being sacrosanct. Tragically, when we take on these negotiable areas of spiritual life and uphold them as “sound doctrine” to the dismissal of any other point of view, we shut ourselves off to the opportunity of growing spiritually. Regardless of where we find ourselves in our walk with Christ, we need to remember that we are all in process therefore we should dedicate ourselves to the continued study of God’s word.

Lastly, a wise individual will seek wise counsel. I believe that it is important for believers to arrive at a place in which we can stand alone (if necessary) in our faith. Maturing in the Christian life means that we can ultimately rise above the temptations, pressures, and persecutions that come with being a follower of Jesus. However, there are times when we need to seek wise counsel. It is in these times that we need to dedicate ourselves to the proposition of only allowing those we spiritually trust into our confidence. This counsel can be someone who vocationally advises or it could be a trusted friend, but whichever the case, there needs to be careful consideration when choosing someone in which to confide.

Consider the concept of developing your skills in a particular sport, such as tennis. One recommended option for developing and getting more efficient in this sport is to consistently play someone whose skill level is better than yours. As you continue to expose yourself to this superior player, although uncomfortable and difficult, given enough time, you will more than likely begin to see your skills rise. This is also true as you select someone to instruct you in the sport. You want to select someone with a more advanced knowledge and ability than yours so that your time spent with him/her is of maximum value. Likewise, when choosing someone in which to seek counsel, you need to select someone who has a greater spiritually understanding and more experience than yourself. By exposing yourself to this trusted individual, you can be assured that the time spent will be of maximum value to you and your spiritual growth.

Christians should be living lives demonstrating godly wisdom. We need to be slow to speak (my personal daily challenge) and quick to listen (hear). We should be eager to learn and grow in our faith every day. And when we need assistance, we need to always seek wise counsel. Are you continuing to grow in your faith or has your walk with Christ grown stagnant and ineffective? Pray over this time spent in Proverbs and be willing to listen as God speaks wisdom into your life!