Putting the I into WISDOM
The Christians who have most influenced me for good have had a fully functional familiarity with the book of Proverbs. They were (and are) able to take their considerable knowledge and apply it to their lives, providing both godly examples and godly advice. Join with me as each one of us endeavors to put the I into WISDOM. Let us seek to exemplify God’s wisdom in our daily lives. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Proverbs 1:1-7 introduces us to the writer of these words, King Solomon. Even today “the wisdom of Solomon” remains, appropriately, a proverbial statement of the acme of acumen. He specifically requested such wisdom when he became king (I Kings 3:4-15), and such supplication is always answered (James 1:5-8). Solomon certainly demonstrated considerable discretion in his legal decisions (for example, I Kings 3:16- 28, the account of two prostitutes and one child; we should note that Solomon saw the image of God in these wayward women, gave them his valuable time, and reached a remarkable conclusion; this is Solomon at his best), in his negotiation of advantageous treaties with Hiram of Tyre (I Kings 9:10-14) and the Queen of Sheba (I Kings 10:1-13), in his studies (I Kings 4:33), in his writings (I Kings 4:32), and in his construction of the Temple (I Kings 5-8). Would we like to have the wisdom of Solomon? We can actually be wiser, for we have a more detailed revelation of the words and works of God. In Matthew 12:42, Jesus, God the Son, said, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” The wisdom of Solomon is a good goal; even better is the wisdom of Jesus Christ.