Proverbs 3:1-35
The simplicity and complexity of this poem are magnificent. Each section is building for what is to come, and each is building on what has gone before. In verses 1-10 there is a call to the advantages of wisdom. Verses 11-12 are a reminder that the Lord brings wisdom by means of discipline. It is easy for us to buck and complain about difficult times. Hardship as discipline seems foreign or even unfair to us. But if we are wise, we will take the unpleasant moments for what they are: opportunities to learn and grow by means of being disciplined. Verses 13-22 show the incomparable place and value of wisdom. We see that God even employs wisdom.
Verse 23 marks a turning point in the poem marked by the word “then.” The peace and wholeness described in verses 24-26 are a result of having found and made a commitment to the practice of being wise. In verses 27-32 there are some practical applications that will come from this life. The conclusion we find in verses 33-35 is a reminder that God is on the side of wisdom.
If truth is ‘that which conforms to reality,’ we could say wisdom is ‘doing things the way God would have them done.’ That means careful and godly deliberation concerning our own actions and behaviors. It also means that a hurried reading of the Proverbs will likely miss much of its value, beauty, and grandeur.
“Lord, grant that I will have an intentional and deliberate pursuit of wisdom. AMEN.”
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