Do you want your life to
really count for eternity?
Do you want to use your
life to the fullest?
Do you want your work to
have permanent,
intergenerational fruit?
Last fall I did a series
entitled Artisanship and
the Lifelong Pursuit of
Wisdom.
I left you with a 9-month
challenge, at the end of
the series.
Project Over the Next 9 Months
Over the next 9 months, develop two habits:
•
the 7th Priority habit
•
the 4th Generation habit
We are going to provide several opportunities:
1. Sunday morning training
2. Planned midweek opportunities (monthly
events, retreats, etc.)
3. Natural small groups encouraged
(coordinate with midweek leaders)
4. SIMA and Your LifeWork Program
After much reflection,
we decided to return to the
9-month challenge and
work on it as a whole
church.
Several of you suggested it: (Wells),
Leading Women’s Group, Doug, Steve
Kemp’s message of your reflections on
last year’s experience.
ORC 9-Month Focus
1. Sunday morning Skillful Life Series
(Preaching the 65 categories)
2. Wednesday evening Midweeks—Artisan course
(Practicing the skillful life categories)
3. Launching SIMA and Your LifeWork (3-year program)
4. Providing opportunities for 2 other lifework courses:
a. Lifen: Life Stewardship in Community
b. Seek the Welfare of the City
5. As leadership, we will sit down with anyone in the
summer months and review your lifework plans.
Let’s begin by
returning to where
we left off at the end
of November.
Artisanship and the Lifelong
Pursuit of Wisdom
Part I Artisanship: Mastering Your Craft
(3 messages)
Part II The Skillful Life
(6 messages)
Part III The Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom
(2 messages)
Artisanship and the Lifelong
Pursuit of Wisdom
Part I Artisanship: Mastering Your Craft
(3 messages)
We each have need of wisdom
Skill in our profession
Skill in our LifeWork
Wisdom (hokmah) = skill in living
Artisanship and the Lifelong
Pursuit of Wisdom
Part II The Skillful Life
(6 messages)
There is a wisdom corpus (body of literature) in the O.T.
It gives us a taxonomy (disciplined framework) by which
to live life, which is illustrated in the following 2 charts.
We must master this wisdom body of literature!
The Wisdom Corpus
Proverbs
Skill in Life
Mental Acumen
(discipline)
Job
Crises
(insight)
(wisdom)
Fear of the
Lord
Prov 1:7
(understanding)
(prudence)
(knowledge)
(discernment)
Song of Solomon
Marriage
Eccl.
Meaning
Core Life Skills
65 Categories Tool
…a habit of lifelong
learning
…character
development
6
…living
harmoniously in
community
…respect for
authority and
administration
…kinds of
generations
…justice
• character types
• character traits
• mental acumen
One
leading a
skillful life
…dealing wisely and
fairly with people
…control of emotions
and words
...handling conflict
14
33
…disciplined in work
…honest and fair
practices
…good use of
money
6
…well ordered home
…an excellent wife
…discipline of
children
6
Artisanship and the Lifelong
Pursuit of Wisdom
Basics of a Skillful Life (A Perfect Taxonomy)
B. Character and Mental Acumen
C. Money, Honesty, and Disciplined Work Habits
D. Marriage, Children, and an Ordered Home
E. Emotions, Words, and Skill in Conflict
F. Authority, Respect, and Generational Harmony
Pursuing wisdom, in this
series, means mastering
this wisdom corpus.
Artisanship and the Lifelong
Pursuit of Wisdom
Part III The Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom
10. Permanence to the Work of Your Hands
11. Mastering the 65 Categories
At the heart of the lifelong pursuit of wisdom is
Proverbs. We have observed 5 major groupings
with 65 subcategories. Let’s return again to
our chart.
Core Life Skills
65 Categories Tool
…a habit of lifelong
learning
…character
development
6
…living
harmoniously in
community
…respect for
authority and
administration
…kinds of
generations
…justice
4
• character types
• character traits
• mental acumen
One
leading a
skillful life
…dealing wisely and
fairly with people
…control of emotions
and words
...handling conflict
43
…disciplined in work
…honest and fair
practices
…good use of
money
6
…well ordered home
…an excellent wife
…discipline of
children
6
Let’s review these 65
categories, which we
listed at the end of each
of the 5 studies in the
heart of this series.
Core Life Skills
A Lifelong Habit of Learning, Character Development
43 Subcategories
Importance of Character
Character Traits (16)
Character Types (10)
Plans/Decision-Making
Role of Discipline and Reproof
Mental Acumen (12)
Core Life Skills
A Lifelong Habit of Learning, Character Development
43 Subcategories
Character Traits (16)
Ambitious, confident, dependable, diligent,
disciplined, fair, generous, gentle, honest,
humble, patient, pure, self-controlled, teachable,
merciful, pleasant
Character Types (10)
Naïve, fool (1), fool (2), scoffer, proud, sluggard,
seductress, angry man,
flatterer/gossip/schemer, wicked
Core Life Skills
A Lifelong Habit of Learning, Character Development
43 Subcategories
Mental Acumen (12)
Wisdom, instruction, wise behavior,
righteousness, justice, equity, understanding,
prudence, knowledge, discretion, learning, wise
counsel
Core Life Skills
Money, Honesty, and Disciplined Work Habits
6 subcategories
Work Habits (see also the category: The Sluggard)
Use of Money, Business Ethics
Investments and Inheritance
Success, Prosperity, Security
Generosity, Gifts
Rich, Poor
Core Life Skills
Marriage, Children, and an Ordered Home
6 subcategories
Building a House
Importance of an Excellent Wife
Nagging Wives
Instructing/Disciplining Children
Honoring Parents
Grandchildren/Old Age
Core Life Skills
Emotions, Words, and Skill in Conflict
4 subcategories
The Careful Use of Words
Conflict and Strife
Counsel and Reproof
Understanding and Controlling Emotions
Core Life Skills
Emotions, Words, and Skill in Conflict
4 subcategories
Understanding and Controlling Emotions
Unpleasant Emotions:
anger
discouragement /sorrow
fear/anxiety
envy/jealousy
bitterness /envy/revenge
Core Life Skills
Emotions, Words, and Skill in Conflict
4 subcategories
Understanding and Controlling Emotions
Pleasant Emotions:
happiness/joy/laughter
love
security/peace
satisfaction/delight/prosperous/healthy
respected
Core Life Skills
Authority, Respect, and Generational Harmony
6 subcategories
Leaders (Kings, Courtiers)
Honor, humility, and power in high places
Corruption and injustice
Rights of the poor and oppression
Citizenry, living harmoniously in community (friends
and neighbors; enemies; master, slave, employer
and employee; response to leaders)
Kinds of generations
How do I go about
mastering them?
It seems like we just
skimmed over the top.
It would take a long time
to master them.
My thesis is that its takes
more than a long time to
master them. It takes a
lifetime.
We must cycle back
through the wisdom
literature several times
during our lifetime.
Let me explain the basic
idea.
The Idea: Cycle Through the Wisdom
Literature 4 Times in a Lifetime
0
12
Child
25
Youth (Naïve)
• fear of the Lord
• gain common sense
• train up
• shrewd, world-wise
behavior
• a clear head and
focus
• discipline
Appropriate Proverbs
Guide for basic training
taught by parents
Proverbs 1–9, 31
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
40
Wise
• ability to manage life
skillfully
• ability to deal wisely
with people
Proverbs 10:1–22:16
Study Process
1. Cycle through books as you
progress through life
• young adult
• young family
• later transitions
2. Create own categories
3. Use guide during difficult
times and study deeper
Wiser
• ability to see below the
surface to real underlying
issues
• acquire and assimilate
complex counsel
• solve complex problems
Proverbs 22:17–24:34
Proverbs 25:1–29:27
Proverbs 30:1–33
Guide for life direction
as an emerging adult
70/80
Ecclesiastes
Guide for establishing in
community
Job
young adults study together Guide for counseling
& leading
in community
mature adults study together
in community & as leaders
Skillful Life Cycle Guides
Cycle 1: Childhood
Memorize and concentrate on
sections on “the fear of the Lord”
and the most basic proverbs in
10:1–22:17.
Skillful Life Cycle Guides
Cycle 2: Youth
Memorize and concentrate on
sections in Proverbs 1–9
and foundations in Ecclesiastes,
Song of Solomon, and Job.
Skillful Life Cycle Guides
Cycle 3: Early/Middle Adulthood
Master Proverbs 10:1–22:17
and first major study of the
Proverbs clusters from 22:17 on;
master the Song of Solomon.
Skillful Life Cycle Guides
Cycle 4: Later Adulthood
Review Proverbs 10:1–22:17;
master the clusters; master
Ecclesiastes and Job.
Now let me
introduce you to
The Skillful Life: 65
Categories in
Proverbs.
It is taken from
The 4th Generation
Life Cycle System.
It contains the
following
material:
Part 1: The 65 Categories
Part 2: The Life Cycle
Guides
A. Instructions on using the
life cycle guides
B. Quarterly Planning Guide
C. Annual Planning Template
D. Examples of 4 Types of
Life Cycle Guides
List the proverb and
the date you began to
study it.
Format the proverb in
a way that reflects its
parallelism.
Front of Life Cycle Guide—
Proverbs Worksheet
Cycle 3: Young & Middle Adulthood
Proverbs Worksheet
Proverb _______________
Date __________________
Explanation of Proverb:
Then write out the
meaning of the proverb
in your own words.
Issue & Questions:
Issue: ______________________________
State the main issue of
the proverb in a phrase
and then a set of
questions to explore
the implications of the
issue.
Questions:
1. ________________________
2. ________________________
3. ________________________
4. ________________________
Illustrations—Find an
illustration of the truth of the
proverb from Scripture, or
great literature/stories,
biographies, current events,
(magazines, newspapers),
movies, TV, etc.
Projects—Think of projects
such as books to read, movies
to watch, family ministry
projects, places to visit, etc.
Record the proverb—In your
favorite translation, choose a
category for it, and memorize
it.
Note: Develop a 3 x 5
card system, beginning
with the 65 categories in
this system; then
gradually create your
own categories system.
Back of Life Cycle Guide—
Proverbs Worksheet
Life Situation
Projects
Memory Verse
Front of 3 x 5
Memory Card
Back of 3 x 5
Memory Card
Category
Proverb
Long term
prayer request /
answers
Quarterly Planning Guide
Record any particular
categories of interest for the
coming quarter—drawn from
life questions, challenges or
problems surfacing; areas of
your personal development
or interest; and areas of
need or interest of your
children or grandchildren.
The Skillful Life (65 Categories)
Quarterly Planning Guide
Peruse the 65 Categories
Select Individual Proverbs
Use this space to either plan
proverbs for the quarter or to
keep track of the proverbs
you study week by week.
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etc.
Annual Planning Template
List categories (from
the 65) that you
would like to address
with your children
over the entire year.
List the categories
(from the 65) that you
would like to address
with your teens over
the coming year. If
you plan on studying
Proverbs 1–9,
Ecclesiastes, Song of
Solomon, or Job this
year, record that as
well.
4th Generation Life Cycle
Annual Planning Template
Childhood
Youth
List categories (from the 65) that
you want to study in the coming
year as you build your family,
ministry, and lifework. Also note if
you want to begin mastering any of
the wisdom books in preparation
for marriage, in early marriage,
during times of crises, or in
preparation for the teen years.
Young/Middle
Later Adulthood
List any wisdom areas you
have studied but would like
to study more in depth, as
well as at least one of the
proverbs clusters from
Proverbs 22:17–30:33 per
year. Also focus on
proverbs dealing with
heritage issues.
Let me tell you a little of my
own story here. I have
worked on this stuff my
whole life.
It began in my
apprenticeship— exposure
to Waltke.
My personal notebook,
1972–74.
It continued through a cycle
a “series of series”
1978
Proverbs 1–9
1985
Extensive 2-year Wisdom Lit. Series
1991
SIMA and Art Miller
1995
7th Priority
1996
4th Generation
2003
Lifen Series (replaces 7th)
2005
Seek the Welfare Series
2006
Artisanship Series (replaces 4th)
Lifen replaces
the 7th Priority
Artisanship course
replaces
the 4th Generation
My 34-Year
Mentor: Dr.
Bruce Waltke
A Theology of Proverbs
notes, lectures (1972–85)
Dallas Seminary
Later Regent in
Vancouver
The Book of Proverbs:
(NICOT) 1,278 pages
I am on my 3rd cycle
through.
Will you begin your life
cycles now by taking
midweek seriously the
next 6 months?
As emerging adults
As parents
As maturing adults
As older men and women