The Pursuit of Wisdom

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The Pursuit of Wisdom – Proverbs chapter 2

Do all roads lead to Rome? Do all paths lead to wisdom?

The beginning of wisdom

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding –
indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:1-5

Wisdom is to be welcomed into our minds and hearts, as we would welcome a friend into our house. We are to cry out for it, to hunger for it. Prayer is the key. Dig, and dig again.
Jesus to the Sadducees “you are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God” Matt 22
“An affectionate reference whereby the child of God bends himself to the will of God.” Bridges.

The benefits of wisdom

For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose way of life is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Proverbs 2:6-8

Foolish to ever seek wisdom apart from God. He is not neutral like the Force in Star Wars, usable by good or evil.

In John Bunyan’s classic book “The Pilgrims Progress”, Christian, a man burdened by sin and guilt, meets Mr Evangelist, who points him to the narrow way that leads to life. He then meets Mr Worldly Wise-man who tells him of an easier way, via the town of Morality where he can can get help from Mr Legalism “Just try harder” and his son Civility “Just be nice”. Christian goes that way but soon learns it cannot ease his great burden, and is the way to death. He turns back wisely to the hard and narrow way.

The bulwark of wisdom

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,
who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
whose paths are crooked
    and who are devious in their ways.

Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.
Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.
Proverbs 2:12-19

Wisdom will protect from evil: from the desire to belong at any cost – “the ways of wicked men”. “Just bend the rules a bit.”
From the desire for adultery. “that’s living!”. No, it leads to death.

The blessing of wisdom

Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will live in the land,
    and the blameless will remain in it;
but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
Proverbs 2:2-22

Leads to the way of the righteous. Christian friends are a blessing from God.

Sin has consequences. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows..” Galatians 6:7

Wisdom also has consequences. The righteous dwell in the land. “Your best is never enough, but Jesus is!” (Alistair Begg)

Only one road leads to wisdom and life.

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6

New International Version – UK (NIVUK)