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The Mark of Wisdom
Proverbs 4
November 30th 2014
Theme Verse: “So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths
of righteousness.” Prov. 2:20 Walk & not Wander
Review:
Have you grown in wisdom? How about what wisdom taught us a few weeks
ago to watch out for…
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Those who harbor secrets 1:11 – Secure environment, safe to share, the only secrets in
this house are fun, wholesome, ones. Secrets are sensational by nature… 1exciting,
stimulating, stirring our emotions, and heart-moving.
Those who horde spoil 1:13 – Satisfaction at home keeps us from being easy targets of
materialism.
Those who habitually scorn 1:22 – Stories of how God broke through horribleness to an
honorable outcome. Stories of godly heroes and your own stories too.
Secret + Scorn = Shame
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Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He
chooses. 13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall
inherit the earth. 14 The secret [inside scoop] of the LORD is with those who fear
Him, And He will show them His covenant [pledge, treaty, alliance]. 15 My eyes
are ever toward the LORD, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. (Ps. 25:12-15 NKJ)
His secret + His grace = Glory
The way of wisdom (the fear of God) is the “inside scoop” on life today and for eternity.
Now Chapter Four – on our journey from folly to fear to faith.
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the things of God are to be taught precept must be upon precept, and line upon line,
not only because the things themselves are of great worth and weight, but because men’s
minds, at the best are unapt to admit them and commonly prejudiced against them; and
therefore Solomon, in this chapter, with a great variety of expression and a pleasant powerful
flood of divine eloquence, inculcates the same things that he had pressed upon us in the
foregoing chapters.”
“Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know
understanding; 2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law. 3 When I was my
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J. I. Rodale, The Synonym Finder, 1090
Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Volume III, Revell, page 809
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father's son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, 4 He also taught me, and
said to me: "Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live. 5 Get wisdom!
Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not
forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the
principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 8 Exalt
her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. 9 She
will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you." 10
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have
taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. 12 When you walk, your
steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. 13 Take firm hold of
instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the
wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from
it and pass on. 16 For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is
taken away unless they make someone fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And
drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines
ever brighter unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not
know what makes them stumble.
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My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them
depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those
who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out
of it spring the issues of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse
lips far from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before
you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to
the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.” (Pro 4:1 NKJ)
The father is speaking to his son about life being a holy hike. There is
the wise walk and there is the wicked walk portrayed here in this
chapter. If we will listen and obey then we will be protected from the
wicked walk. If we forget and forsake then we will falter, and our
walk will be “hindered” and when we run we will “stumble.”
Wisdom is the “principle” thing needed on this holy hike. Frankly, it is
everything. It is more than a white cane or even a crutch, it is eyes
wide open. Wisdom will “preserve,” protect” and “promote” you.
Imagine, wisdom actually “promotes” us, so we do not have to promote
ourselves. Note: when you are ever tempted to promote yourself you
have just slipped from wisdom to foolishness. Wisdom not only
smooth’s the path of life but it is the guard rail that keeps us from
going down the wicked path. When we make wisdom a high priority it
rewards you.
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Now let’s look at the passage…
Grasp wisdom at a tender age!
 Hear, “Hear, [listen] my children, the instruction of a
father, And give [pay] attention to know [grasp]
understanding… 4:1
 Have, “For I give you good doctrine;… When I was my
father’s son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my
mother, 4:2a,3
Solomon was born after his brother who died because of his father’s sin. Nathan
was called and he named Solomon, “Jedidiah.” Which means, “beloved of the Lord.”
You can be sure this little guy was deeply loved and carefully instructed by his
father David and now he passes it on very father like to his readers of Solomon,
pleading with them again and again to listen and obey. (II Sam. 12:25)
 Hold, “He also taught me, and said to me; ‘let your heart
retain my words; keep [obey] my commands, and live.’” 4:4
Get wisdom!
“Get wisdom! Get understanding!
 “Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my
mouth.” 4:5b
 “do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;” 4:6a
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“If we shift as we age toward appreciating everyday pleasures and relationships
rather than toward achieving, having, and getting, and if we find this more
fulfilling, then why do we take so long to do it? The common view was that these
lessons are hard to learn. Living is a kind of skill. The calm and wisdom of old age
are achieved over time.”
Wisdom might actually speed up the process of coming to appreciate
the more important things of life… perspective is the key, found in this
study, be it from age or from going through some extreme trauma.
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Atul Gawande, Being Mortal, Cartensen study of 200 people of different ages over a long period of time. Pg 91
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“Wisdom is the principal [first, beginning, best, chief] thing; get
wisdom.”
Glory in wisdom! Elevate it!
 Esteem or “Love her, and she will keep [protect] you.” 4:6b
 Exalt her, “Exalt her and she will promote you; 4:8a
 Embrace her, “She will bring you honor, when you embrace
her.” 4:8b
 Ennoble her, “She will place on your head an ornament of
grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.” 4:9
Gain from wisdom!
 Longevity, “Hear my son, and receive my sayings, And the
years of your life will be many.” 4:10
 Leading, “I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have
led you in right paths.” 4:11 Did you get that. Teaching
must be lived out by leading. By example!
 Limberness, “When you walk, your steps will not be
hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.”
Imagine your children being able to live life unhindered by the
issues of the past?
John 3:1-4 “The Elder, To the believed Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved,
I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your souls
prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the
truth that is in you, just as you walk in truth. I have no greater joy than to
hear that my children walk in the truth.”
Grip on to wisdom!
 Firmly, “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
 Forever, Keep her, for she is your life.” 4:13
Guard with wisdom!
 Stay away completely, “Do not enter the path of the
wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.”
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 Stand way back, “Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away
from it and pass on.” 4:14-15
What part of “do not” do we “not” understand? Let’s see if we can
say it more clearly. “Son you might consider not going in that room over
there, or at least not looking directly at anyone, or perhaps not staying
long, just grab a bite and come out maybe.” Or, “Son go to bed this is
something that your mom would probably not approve of.” Not a good
idea to pitch one spouse against another… be united in what you will
permit. Memorizing Psalm 1 is a great family exercise. When we
arrive we have to have three verses done and then we can get an ice
cream or ???
Grow to recognize evil through being wise!
 Sleep, “For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
 Eat, “For they eat the bread of wickedness,”
 Drink, “And drink the wine of violence.” 4:16-17
 Walk, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not
know what makes them stumble.” 4:19
Go forward in wisdom and justice!
 Path that shines, “But the path of the just is like the
shinning sun,”
 Perfect day coming, “that shines ever brighter unto the
perfect day.” 4:18
And Again Solomon repeats…
“My son, [grasp] give attention to my words; [get] Incline your ear
to my sayings. 21 [grip] Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep
them in the midst of your heart;
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[gain] For they are life to those who find them, And health to all
their flesh. 23 [guard] Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it
spring the issues of life.” 4:20-23
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Diligently keeping our heart protected.
Listening carefully – “give attention to my words; incline your
ear to my sayings.” 4:20
Locking them in your heart – “Do not let them depart from
your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.”
Learning all we can about wisdom – “For they are life to those
who find them…”
“Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far
from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look
right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways
be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot
from evil.” 4:24-27
Romans 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy, Abhor what is evil,
cling to what is good.”
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Wisdom is…
Wisdom is truthful – put away a deceitful mouth,
Wisdom is wholesome – put perverse lips far from you.
Wisdom is focused – Let your eyes look straight ahead,
Wisdom is intentional – And your eyelids look right before you,
Wisdom is reflective – Ponder the path of your feet,
Wisdom is firm – And let your ways be established,
Wisdom is straight – Do not turn to the right or the left;
Wisdom is a discipline – Remove your foot from evil.
If you are a disciplined person than wisdom has already found a
friend in you. Discipline is the ability to always be ready to depart
from evil. Diligently remove yourself from evil.
Wisdom is both a delight and a discipline; it enhances and enriches its subjects.
“Wisdom is the principle [first, beginning, best, chief] thing: therefore
get Wisdom.”
Mark Dalton, Director of Missions, Shadow Mountain Community Church