By Jeffery M. Leonard, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biblical & Religious Studies, Samford University
TRUTH MATTERS
Proverbs 16:20–25; 30:1–6
Somewhat surprisingly, most books of the Bible don’t actually inform readers about why they were written. A perceptive reader will figure out that Judges was written to narrate how bad things got when “there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him” (Judg. 17:6). But we have to wait until nearly the end of the book to hear this stated explicitly.
The same holds true for John’s Gospel, which tells us it was written “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). But right from the outset, the sage in Proverbs tells us it was written to pass along learning, wisdom, instruction, understanding, insight, righteousness, justice, equity, shrewdness, knowledge and prudence.
Perhaps as important as what Proverbs intends to teach is to whom it intends to teach it. The book’s first target is entirely predictable; its wisdom is aimed squarely at “the inexperienced” and the “young man” (Prov. 1:4). Those still inexperienced in the challenges of life are sorely in need of its instruction. What is fascinating, though, is that Proverbs has a secondary audience. The sage adds, “A wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance” (Prov. 1:5). Apparently, the wise need wisdom as much as the simple do.
We need wisdom because our own way of thinking is often deceptive — and deadly. (16:20–25)
Proverbs 16 picks up on the thread of the book’s first chapter and extols the virtues of wise living. Fools wallow in their folly, but those with “insight” find that sensibility to be a veritable “fountain of life” (v. 22). They have wise hearts and show discernment. And they are a font of wisdom for others. They are possessed of “pleasant speech” (v. 21).
Their “pleasant words are a honeycomb;” their words are “sweet to the taste and health to the body” (v. 24). Importantly, the foundation for all of the wise person’s wisdom is God Himself. Those who trust in the Lord will be blessed, and the person who “understands a matter finds success” (v. 20).
We must acknowledge our own lack of understanding. (30:1–4)
The counter to the aphorism, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is the equally true maxim, “The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that there is one.” The wise man of Proverbs 30 did not hesitate to admit his own lack of wisdom.
He insists, “I am more stupid than any other person, and I lack a human’s ability to understand” (v. 2). While we can see the hyperbole in the sage’s statements, these exaggerations are intended to convey an important truth. We do lack wisdom, and we have little hope of remedying this lack until we admit our own shortcomings in this area.
We can rely on the truth of God’s Word. (5–6)
Fortunately, there is a source prepared and ready to remedy our lack of wisdom: God’s Word. The wise author contends, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (v. 5). As we immerse ourselves in God’s Word — including, of course, the Book of Proverbs — we find deep wellsprings of wisdom that nourish our souls and prepare us for the challenges that lie before us.
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