Wisdom: It's Not a Lucky Guess

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“When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

He taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4: 3-5

These words were written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. Most of you have probably heard the story of how he became so wise; how God spoke to him in a dream, offering to give him anything, (riches and long life were some of the options) and how Solomon, who was both a young man and a new king, feeling the weight of ruling a country, asked God for wisdom.

   In the end, God was so pleased with Solomon’s choice that he threw in long life and wealth in addition to the wisdom he had asked for.

I might be inclined to think “Whew…  Good thing Solomon chose wisdom. Lucky guess.”   However, after taking a closer look at Proverbs 4:3 it’s clear that the story of Solomon’s quest for wisdom began much earlier.  It began with his father, David; the same David who fought Goliath, wrote the book of Psalms and ruled the nation of Israel. In the middle of his life, looking back at his accomplishments (and some of his mistakes) King David took little Solomon on his knee and talked to him. “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live. Get wisdom.”  Again and again we see how Solomon’s father told him to get wisdom, insight and understanding.  And when the time came to make a choice that would alter the course of his life forever, Solomon remembered his father’s words….. “Get wisdom”. Solomon chose wisely.

   So what’s the lesson we can take away from the Solomon story? Parents: here’s one: talk to your kids about life. Make time to sit down and get their full attention, take opportunities to explain to them the consequences of sin.  None of us are born wise (as a young person this is often painfully apparent); wisdom is something we have to find. Teach your kids what to look for and where to look, so that when the time comes for them to make choices, they will chose wisely.

    Fellow young people: don’t be foolish. Maybe your parents didn’t take the time to teach you to look for wisdom, but that’s no excuse. Blaming our parents for our shortcomings may make us feel better about ourselves, but it’s the least productive thing we can possibly do. Regardless of your upbringing,  you have a fully functioning mind and personal responsibility.  “Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”( Proverbs 4:27 . )   Or maybe it’s the other way around:   perhaps you parents and other wise people who have your best interest at heart, have been giving you good advice for years, but you're just to proud and rebellious to give them the time of day.  If this is the case, do you really want to spend the rest of your life suffering the consequences of poor choices just because you were too angry to listen?  Is it really worth it? 

The truth is, we all need wisdom and wisdom is something God earnestly desires that we have.  “⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5