Daily Devotion to Proverbs: Day 1

Daily Nugget:
A proverb is knowledge tested by experience and proven to be good, trustworthy advice. Solomon, one of the wisest men in biblical times, gave some of his wisdom in Proverbs 1.
“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.” I Kings 4:29-30

Many know a lot of things, but that does not make them wise. There are PHDs, famous politicians, teachers, and bosses who are quite intelligent, but that does not mean they have wisdom.

Following the daily news and being abreast of the activities of prominent leaders and public figures will attest to that fact, also. They may know it in their head, but the application of their knowledge is far from being practical, logical, and not harmful. They may be proud of their philosophies and decisions, but a wise person can see that their thoughts, intentions, and actions are foolish and will only do damage, not help. Catastrophe is often not far behind when their unwise choices and ideas are practiced.

On the other hand, many, even youngsters, seem to have a good head on their shoulders and consistently make wise choices. Their behavior differs greatly from peers who are frequently in trouble and often reap consequences from poor decisions. Their actions and discernment, even when they get older, reveal that they have wisdom.

So, where does one get wisdom? There is a way to get practical, tested, true wisdom. It does not always come from universities, thick manuals, educational television, or old age. It is slowly learned by practical, applied knowledge, and the beginning of obtaining this true wisdom is to “fear the Lord.”
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverb 1:7

“Fear” does not always mean extreme fright or being afraid of something scary and dangerous. It also means, as it does in this chapter, to have “reverence, respect, and regard” (Webster, 1828) for God and His commandments and laws. Having immense respect for God, believing, trusting, and obeying God and His Word is the beginning of getting wisdom.

Getting one’s mind to the point that they realize they do not know everything, and neither do others, initiates this godly “fear.” From there, a person is open to recognizing that there is One who knows everything and He is the world’s Creator. God’s advice is never wrong.

It is God that made everything we see, feel, or touch. He knows all the answers to our queries and is willing to give them to those who will humble themselves and recognize that God can be trusted. His truths, advice, and wisdom can be found in His preserved words, the Bible.

Do you want to be wise? Do you want to make the right decisions and avoid the wrong ones? Are you tired of having regrets from bad choices in the past? Realize that you do not always have the answers to life’s situations and problems, but there is One that does, and He is God. Be in awe of his shareable knowledge, seek His guidance, and obey it when He gives it. You will be much wiser than most if you do so.

Today’s Thought: 
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge.” — Spurgeon