WISDOM FOR THE DAY

The happiness that wisdom brings is not just an emotion. This is the same happiness that Jesus describes in Matthew 5:3-12. When God forgives our evil actions, we receive his joy in our spirits.

Sometimes our lives will still be difficult. Sometimes, we shall be very sad. Even then, God will comfort us. He will look after us. Although we are sad, God’s joy will still be in our hearts. And we will have good lives, because God will help us...

You can put your money in a bank. The bank will pay you an income. However, the bank is not as good as Wisdom. If you give your life to Wisdom, she will pay more than any bank. No bank can make your life longer. But Wisdom can give a long life. No bank can promise you a place in heaven. But wisdom can promise this. No bank can make you right with God. Wisdom can do this.

In Proverbs 1:20-33, Solomon describes wisdom as a woman. This happens again in Proverbs 3:13-18. There is a difference. In Proverbs 1, Wisdom is angry with evil people. They have refused her advice. In Proverbs 3, we read about the people who love Wisdom. Wisdom brings good things to them; long life, wealth and honour (verse 16). When we walk with Wisdom, our life is pleasant and beautiful (verse 17).

These verses compare Wisdom to valuable objects...

Many people do not want to learn how to behave well. They want to choose how they will live their lives.

God is our father. A father teaches his son. Sometimes, the father must correct or punish his son. In the same way, God corrects us.

God does not correct us because he is angry. God corrects us because he loves us. A human father should not punish his child because the father is angry. Rather, the father corrects the child because the father loves his child...

There is a wrong type of wisdom. Verse 7 mentions ‘your own wisdom’.

There is also a wrong type of intelligence. Verse 5 mentions ‘your own intelligence’.

There is a difference between our own wisdom and God’s wisdom. Also, there is a difference between our own intelligence and God’s intelligence. God is wiser than we are. And God is more intelligent than any person is. See Isaiah 55:8-9.

We must not be proud. All true wisdom comes from God. Our own ideas may be good...

*Martin Luthor King Jr. Day

Love and trust should not be just ideas. We must not remember them today, and then forget them tomorrow. They must be part of our lives. They should guide every decision.

Verses 5 and 6 are very important. It is a good idea to learn them. They will help us if we worry about the future.

‘Trust in God.’ People trust many things. Some trust money. Some trust governments. Other people trust luck or fate. You might trust your family or your church...

Verse 1

Chapter 3 begins, as usual, with advice for Solomon’s son. Solomon encourages his son to remember his commands. The son must remember the words. But he should also aim for a deeper experience. Wisdom should enter his heart. Wisdom should guide his thoughts. Wisdom should control his emotions and desires.

Verse 2

The son will benefit from wisdom. Solomon mentions health and wealth.

Wisdom brings health, because wisdom teaches safe actions...

The land

God gave land to the nation of Israel. He warned them to follow his commands. If the nation turned away from God, then they would lose their land. (Deuteronomy 28) Solomon knew that God had warned them.

After Solomon, the people served false gods. Some kings were good, but most were evil. God did not punish that nation immediately. God told the people to return to him. They did not return. After a war, they lost their land...

Verses 16-19

In these verses, a woman tries to tempt a man. Deuteronomy 5 lists 10 commands that God gave. One command was, ‘Do not have sex with someone else's wife or husband.’ (Deuteronomy 5:18) The woman in the Book of Proverbs refuses to follow this command. A man who goes to her is in danger.

Solomon is teaching us about other wrong actions. Sometimes wrong actions are attractive. Sometimes evil thoughts tempt us. Sometimes we might think that God’s law is not fair...

The Book of Proverbs also tells us about two ways. In verse 13, evil men walk in dark paths. They hide from the light, because light would show up their evil behaviour. In verse 15, Solomon says that evil men choose the wrong paths. It is easy to choose the wrong path in the dark! This wrong path is like their evil behaviour. Their behaviour is like a road that leads to death and hell (verse 18).

If we follow God’s wisdom, then our paths are good (verse 9)...