There’s something about starting fresh in God’s Word that feels like opening a brand-new journal.....the
pages are clean, full of possibility, and they are just waiting to be filled.
That’s how I felt stepping into Proverbs this morning, one
chapter at a time. It's not just a “read through and check the box” kind of thing. It’s a “let’s slow down,
dig deep, and see how God’s wisdom actually meets us in the chaos of everyday life” kind of thing.
Proverbs 1:7 lays it out pretty plainly: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise
wisdom and instruction.”
At first glance, that is a heavy way to start. But if you think about it, everything in life begins
somewhere....doesn't it? A recipe starts with ingredients. A journey starts with one step. Wisdom begins with fearing the Lord. Not fear like hiding under the covers, but reverence that says, God, You’re greater
than me. You see what I don’t. I trust You above myself.
How many times do we try to lean on our own “wisdom”?
We Google
our problems, poll our friends, scroll TikTok for answers… and yet, God says, “Start with Me.” That’s
where real wisdom flows!
V10: “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
Temptation doesn’t always look like a gang on the street corner whispering, “hey, c'mere!” It can
look like gossip in the group chat, cutting corners at work because “everybody does it,” or numbing out
with things that promise comfort but leave us emptier than before.
The warning is simple but powerful; you don’t have to say yes.
Every time temptation knocks,
we’re
given the choice to answer...
or to let it keep knocking until it walks away.
Wisdom is pictured as a woman shouting in the streets, raising her voice so that everyone can hear. In today’s world, it’s almost like wisdom is that
quiet notification you keep swiping away because your phone is blowing up with everything else.
God’s wisdom isn’t hidden.
It’s not locked away for pastors and theologians. It’s crying out in the
middle of our noisy, messy lives....when you’re stuck in traffic, when the kids are overstimulated, when
you’re deciding what to do about that relationship or that bill or that big decision.
Wisdom says, slow
down and listen.
V33 is like a breath of fresh air... “But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be
quiet from fear of evil.”
Safety.....that’s what we’re all craving, isn’t it? Quiet hearts. Freedom from fear.
The world sells us false
versions of peace - buy this, achieve that, escape here. But God’s Word says, listen to My wisdom, and
you’ll find the peace you’ve been chasing.
- Pray with me -
Lord, I don’t want this to be just another study. I want more than head knowledge. I want transformation. I want it to be
life-changing. Help me to recognize Your wisdom in the middle of my daily noise. When temptation comes knocking through distractions, pressures, or the lure of comfort, remind me that I don't have to give in. Jesus, teach me to pause
before reacting, and to lean on Your truth instead of my own instincts. In the name of Jesus.....Amen.
- Write with me -
Do you like to write things down when you're studying? I know I do! I have notebooks upon notebooks of everything I have studied. I like to go back to look at some of them to remind myself of what little tidbits I have picked up along the way.
Take a moment to pause, grab a pen, and let Proverbs 1 really sink in.
Where did God speak to you?
What verse in chapter 1 sticks out to you the most?
Where in your daily life are you tempted to lean on your own understanding instead of God’s
wisdom?
What “enticements” tend to knock at your door?
How can you prepare a strong “no” before the next
knock comes?
Wisdom cries out in the streets.....where do you hear her voice most clearly right now, and how are you going to respond?
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