David Heath-Whyte
NB: This is what I intended to say, for the genuine article, listen to the audio version
Intro
How are you going to vote? Whether it's your 1st opportunity, or you've voted many times, the choice is there to be made: how will you decide? What are the decisive issues, that make a real difference between the candidates?
Have you prayed for guidance?
How would you react if I said that a collection of 3000-yr old words of wisdom could be God's answer to your prayer?!
Are you interested in the candidate's character? Proverbs 11:3 "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."
Do they spend their time slagging off their opponents? Proverbs11:12 "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbour, but a man of understanding holds his tongue."
Do they learn from their mistakes? Proverbs 13:18 "He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honoured."
Do they take any notice of our Lord Jesus Christ? Proverbs 29:25 "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe."
Helpful?
The proverbs not always this sombre - sometimes they are humorous and provocative: Proverbs 21:9 "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife."
This morning we're starting a short series looking at this OT book, Proverbs.
The average person might ask you for something much more up-to-date than this book - and there are lots of modern equivalents around - the Bookshops are full of manuals on 'how to live' - our 21st Century gurus are making a fortune by writing their own collections of proverbs, which are completely up-to-date.
Now you won't find any i-pods or camera-phones mentioned here in Proverbs, but if you stop to read for a few minutes, it won't be long before something here stops you in your tracks, as it speaks directly to your life, your attitudes, your experience, your plans, how you feel about the way you live.
How can it be that a 3000 year old book of sayings can have such an impact?
Because we're still people, like they were then, made by God, living in God's creation. And the opening verses of the book help us to see three reasons why this book is so brilliant today.
God wants us to think.
First of all - because God wants us to think.
God wants human beings to think - more than that: he wants us, as believers in Jesus, to use our brains.
Is "ancient" irrelevant?
We might look at the first verse: "The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel" and we might think: "These are Solomon's - they're ancient - how can they be relevant to me?"
Solomon
But Solomon was reknowned for his God-given wisdom.
He lived around about 950BC, he was the King over the 12 tribes of Israel, and he was their most successful monarch - the nation flourished under his rule, and he built the first and best Temple in Jerusalem.
Here's 1 Kings 4:29-34 "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. ... He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life... He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."
He didn't have a DVD player, but God gave him something far more valuable, that he has passed on to us in this book: Wisdom.
Proverbs structure
So what's in the book?
Chapters 1-9 are poetry encouraging his readers to seek wisdom and avoid foolishness.
Then, chapters 10 to 24 are a collection of sayings - wise words to think about, ideas to shape our attitudes and make us question: am I like this? Is this how I think?
The book as we have it has been added to since Solomon's time - and chapters 25-29 are sayings copied down by King Hezekiah's men, and attributed to Solomon. Chapter 30 is the work of a man called Agur, and chapter 31 comes from the pen of a mysterious King Lemuel.
So it's a compilation of wisdom, mostly brought together and probably spoken by Solomon - and then added to by others.
Jesus & Wisdom
And what God promotes in this book, even today, is Wisdom: the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
Wisdom is a characteristic of God - he does what is just and true and perfect.
Jesus was often described as being wise. And we who trust in Jesus are encouraged to seek Wisdom ourselves. God wants us, Christians, to think. And Proverbs encourages that.Who is it, according to Jesus' parable, that builds his house on a rock? It's the wise man, isn't it, not the foolish one. And how do we become like that wise man? By hearing Jesus' words, and putting them into practice.
Jesus wants us to be wise: to be engaged in a process, so that we hear what God says in his Word, we work out what it means in our lives, and we put it into practice.
It's a bit like driving a car: the driving instructor tells us the principles, and particular techniques - but when we're driving, we've got to be able to respond to whatever situation comes along as we're driving, in a safe and sensible way.
Having wisdom is about having the Bible shape our mindset (the way we think) so that we do God's right thing, as life comes along, whatever the situation.
"Be very careful, (says the Apostle Paul) how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:15-17)
And that is what the book of Proverbs is about - training the reader to think, to think about life, and to do it in God's way - with Wisdom.
God gave Solomon wisdom - and God wants us to think.
God's Wisdom transforms our lifestyle.
v.2-6 show us another reason why this book is so useful: because God's Wisdom transforms our lifestyle.
God's Wisdom transforms our Lifestyle.
Think about it
Proverbs brings us face to face with our everyday experience, and it makes us think again - about right and wrong, friendships, money, work, poverty, sex, and all sorts of other things. It makes us ask questions: Is this me? Do I think like this? Do I behave like this? It sometimes shows us our behaviour from a perspective that we've never seen before:
Here's an example: do you like doing practical jokes? Proverbs 26:18 "Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbour and says, "I was only joking!""
A practical joke can go badly wrong and destroy a relationship. The proverb is not a law, demanding that you never tell jokes - but it is a wise thought, making us think again, and see it in a different way.
Have a look at v.2, these proverbs are: "for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young -- 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance -- 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise."
Magazine culture?
How does that compare to what we see on the magazines in the newsagents? Spice up your sex life! Drink more without falling over! Spend more and pay less! How to make your house like the Beckhams!
Where's the excess, the glamour, the spending?
But if all that worked, why do we have the endless telly programmes about parents and children, or people with debts, or people who eat too much - or whatever - trying to help them to change the way they live, to get order and wisdom into the way they think and act.
Because the most fulfilled life will be one with "wisdom, discipline, insight, prudence, knowledge, discretion, guidance" These are valuable assets. Proverbs 16:16 "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!"
Is that me? Do I think that way?
We've got a choice here - look at v.3: here's what God offers: "a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair" It's not very FHM is it? this isn't what HEAT wants you to be like! And we've got a choice - will we fill our heads with the god-less wisdom of the age, that is essentially self-ish, and based on self-fulfilment through pleasure, regardless of the moral cost and social cost - or will we try to fill our heads with God's wisdom?
God's Wisdom is wonderful : (Proverbs 13:14) "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death."
We're the audience
And look at v.4 that's the case if we're completely naive- the "simple" of v.4, or if we're "young" and lack experience of the world.
And v.5 even those who are wise and discerning already can benefit. (There's a good principle here, isn't there - maybe in your homegroup one day you're looking at a subject that you're very familiar with - well, even so, "let the wise listen and add to their learning" - and enjoy the fact that the 'young' in their faith have a chance to think it over as well)
God's Wisdom transforms our lifestyle.
Read it!
So here's a challenge:
What's the date today? (1st May) And how many days are there in May? (31) How many chapters in Proverbs? 31!
Why not, in addition to the Bible reading you're doing already, why not read a chapter of Proverbs a day in May?
You'll find that there are lots of different kinds of proverbs - v.6:there are "proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise." - and the way to cope with that is simply to read through it, and then go back and focus on one or two bits that catch your attention.
Maybe the beautiful poetry will strike you: "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." (Proverbs 25:11)
Maybe it'll be the humour - "You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse. Never try to baptize a cat." - Oh, sorry, those aren't from proverbs - I found them and just had to get them in somewhere!
Maybe you'll just find something that is very clear and helpful to you.
Think about it quietly - tell God what you're thinking, ask him for whatever help you you need.
Let God's wisdom transform your thinking, attitudes, behaviour.
That's how Proverbs can help us: God's Wisdom transforms our lifestyle.
Jesus' saving work equips us to be Wise.
So, God wants us to think, as we do God's Wisdom transforms our lifestyle, and lastly - the more important reason why Proverbs is so valuable today: because Jesus' saving work equips us to be Wise.
If we've trusted in Jesus' Gospel - the forgiveness and new life he gives through his death and resurrection - then he is working to help us to be wiser. Jesus' saving work equips us to be Wise.
Have a look at v.7: Solomon knew that you couldn't have Wisdom without God (Yahweh, the LORD, the Covenant God of Israel) being right there at the centre: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."
"The fear of the the LORD" - means, not being terrified of God, but having a right respect for his awesome majesty: realising that he is in control, and not me, and humbling myself before him because of that.
"the fear of the LORD" is about reverent obedience to the loving Creator - and that is "the beginning of knowledge" - the source and and most important part - not something we can leave behind, but the key that stays with us always.
And we, as New Testament believers, have one up on Solomon: because Jesus' saving work equips us to be wise.
Christians
fear of Lord
First because it helps us to "fear the LORD" - we come to our Lord Jesus humbled by our sinfulness, amazed at his saving love on the cross; and in awe of his risen Majesty - our Living Lord who gives us eternal life.
We've turned to Jesus in repentance and faith - we worship him with our whole lives reverently and obediently - we have the fear of the LORD.
Holy Spirit
But there's more: Jesus has sent to us the Holy Spirit: if we have trusted in Jesus and become Christians, then God the Holy Spirit is alongside and with us in our lives, at work transforming our hearts and minds, to give us Godly Wisdom.
In the NT the Holy Spirit is often linked with having wisdom: here's an example in what Paul prays for the Ephesians: (1:17) "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." - that's the best kind of wisdom - to know God better.
And what is the impact the Holy Spirit can have on us? The fruit of the Spirit - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" - (Galatians 5:22) this is Spirit-given Wisdom, isn't it?
The great thing about this is that it's got nothing to do with "intelligence" as the world thinks of it. Exam grades and university degrees aren't a measure of Godly Wisdom - in fact they may hinder it, by producing pride and arrogance.
You might not have a GCSE to your name, but because you "fear the Lord Jesus", and because the Holy Spirit is with you; Jesus' saving work equips us to be wise.
guidance?
So lets come back to the election - who will you vote for? So you want God's guidance?
We often want God's guidance, don't we? Should I do this, or that? Which university should I apply to? Which job should I take? Who should I vote for, and so on?
And often we look for signs, when what we need and what God offers is wisdom.
"Lord, show me which job to go for" we pray, and because the interviewer is wearing the same shoes as you, and has the same ring-tone on their mobile phone - that must be God's answer, that must be the job to take!
Not! That's more akin to superstition than anything else - and how do we know this isn't Satan at work, leading us the wrong way?
Sometimes God does help us in a dramatic way with a decision - probably because we are weak and foolish - but what did Paul pray for the Ephesians? That the Spirit would help them to be Wise, and know God better.
The Holy Spirit wants to help us to think rightly: To shape our thinking through the Bible, so that we know better what God wants, so we can work out the issues that are decisive - however uncomfortable that may be, however much courage it may take to walk his Wise way.
We look for signs - but the Holy Spirit offers Wisdom.
It's another reason why Proverbs is such an excellent book - Jesus' saving work equips us to be Wise.
Read it!
So here we are, in our technological, scientific age, looking at ancient proverbs - are we bonkers? Or will this book help us to have God's guidance in our lives?
Solomon was given wisdom by God - and God wants us to think - Reading Proverbs will help us think about just who we are, and how we live before God in his world
Solomon wanted to teach people a disciplined and prudent life - and God's Wisdom still transforms our thinking today. We've got 31 days, and 31 chapters - why not dive in and enjoy this rich patchwork, and look forward to God's revolutionary work in our minds.
Solomon knew where the true source of Wisdom lies - and here we have such an advantage, having come to Jesus in repentance and faith, with the Holy Spirit living with us - Jesus' work equips us to be Wise.