Proverbs 4:10-13 says,...
Today's verses are Proverbs 4:10-13 which read,
v.10,11 - Hear, my son, and accept my sayings and the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.
A lot of focus is given on the one who is receiving the wisdom and to listen to wisdom. We are to seek after it and go through the active process of acquiring it. We purposefully avoid foolish things and ways to be on the path that is godly and glorifying to God. We receive from Him the benefits of wisdom which include a life that is full of God-given joy even in the midst of the toil and turmoil of the world's wisdom. The wisdom of God does protect us from foolish things that would shorten our years.
What about the giver of the wisdom? What about the one in the position to give wisdom to others that they have received? Here is another active procedure of the one who follows after God. The giver of the wisdom that God gives has to direct and lead. They direct, or point the way that one is to go to honor God. They give verbal teaching from the Word of God to what is right and wrong. They do not sit back and not complete this task that is so crucial to the wisdom of God being known.
They also lead others in upright paths. This means that they are walking ahead of you on that path. They are living the life that they are telling you about. They are not just pointing out the way to you but they are traveling that road also. I always think about the short time that I worked in a grocery store stocking selves at night to pay off some hospital bills for another child of ours being born. It was a 24 hour store and so people came in at all hours through the night. We were instructed that if someone asked about a product that you didn't just tell them what aisle it was on but you actually took them there. You stopped what you were doing and walked with them all the way up to the item they were looking for.
Here are the givers of God's wisdom doing the crucial tasks of directing and leading others to know how to honor and glorify God by doing the same themselves. Now back to the receivers of this wisdom.
v.12, 13 - When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; and if you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.
"When you walk" means that this is an assumption that you are going to do when you receive wisdom, you are going to walk in it. Some of you may run and wisdom can handle that too. As you put wisdom into place in your life at a steady pace or a running after it, if it is wisdom from God then you will make progress forward, for this is the proverb. God's wisdom will not impede you to grow in Him or make you stumble as you focus on knowing the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of God.
Therefore, take hold; don't let go; and guard her. More action words for us understand that wisdom doesn't come by osmosis but by us putting ourselves in a place to hear it, receive it in, grab it with our minds, protect it with our words and actions, and continually feed her with more of the same. This is the life of one who follows after God. This is what your life is all about. It is not about the job or the kids or the weekend or the next vacation but it is about knowing God and honoring Him with your life on the job or with the kids or doing those weekend activities or even on a family getaway. Your life is about God and not about you but oh all the things that God provides you when you focus on Him rather than yourself. Let's pray.
"Lord, as we gather this morning to honor and glorify You, may our ears be open to hear the wisdom that You have for us. May we grab a hold of it and walk with it this week wherever You take us. May we also feel the responsibility of being a giver of the wisdom You have given to us. May we not lack in directing and leading in the way for others to walk or run with us toward You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.10,11 - Hear, my son, and accept my sayings and the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.
A lot of focus is given on the one who is receiving the wisdom and to listen to wisdom. We are to seek after it and go through the active process of acquiring it. We purposefully avoid foolish things and ways to be on the path that is godly and glorifying to God. We receive from Him the benefits of wisdom which include a life that is full of God-given joy even in the midst of the toil and turmoil of the world's wisdom. The wisdom of God does protect us from foolish things that would shorten our years.
What about the giver of the wisdom? What about the one in the position to give wisdom to others that they have received? Here is another active procedure of the one who follows after God. The giver of the wisdom that God gives has to direct and lead. They direct, or point the way that one is to go to honor God. They give verbal teaching from the Word of God to what is right and wrong. They do not sit back and not complete this task that is so crucial to the wisdom of God being known.
They also lead others in upright paths. This means that they are walking ahead of you on that path. They are living the life that they are telling you about. They are not just pointing out the way to you but they are traveling that road also. I always think about the short time that I worked in a grocery store stocking selves at night to pay off some hospital bills for another child of ours being born. It was a 24 hour store and so people came in at all hours through the night. We were instructed that if someone asked about a product that you didn't just tell them what aisle it was on but you actually took them there. You stopped what you were doing and walked with them all the way up to the item they were looking for.
Here are the givers of God's wisdom doing the crucial tasks of directing and leading others to know how to honor and glorify God by doing the same themselves. Now back to the receivers of this wisdom.
v.12, 13 - When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; and if you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.
"When you walk" means that this is an assumption that you are going to do when you receive wisdom, you are going to walk in it. Some of you may run and wisdom can handle that too. As you put wisdom into place in your life at a steady pace or a running after it, if it is wisdom from God then you will make progress forward, for this is the proverb. God's wisdom will not impede you to grow in Him or make you stumble as you focus on knowing the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of God.
Therefore, take hold; don't let go; and guard her. More action words for us understand that wisdom doesn't come by osmosis but by us putting ourselves in a place to hear it, receive it in, grab it with our minds, protect it with our words and actions, and continually feed her with more of the same. This is the life of one who follows after God. This is what your life is all about. It is not about the job or the kids or the weekend or the next vacation but it is about knowing God and honoring Him with your life on the job or with the kids or doing those weekend activities or even on a family getaway. Your life is about God and not about you but oh all the things that God provides you when you focus on Him rather than yourself. Let's pray.
"Lord, as we gather this morning to honor and glorify You, may our ears be open to hear the wisdom that You have for us. May we grab a hold of it and walk with it this week wherever You take us. May we also feel the responsibility of being a giver of the wisdom You have given to us. May we not lack in directing and leading in the way for others to walk or run with us toward You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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